IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


A 


.<c-'^'^ 


M 


'-  ^^/% 


:/j 


1.0 


I.I 


I.'-  1^ 

11118 


1.25      1.4 

1.6 

< 6"     - 

► 

V] 


Va 


A 


^^'<>  > 
.'v' 


o7 


w 


Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


V 


^> 


rvs 


^^ 


\\^ 


%'' 


% 


V 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WinSTER.N.Y.  14S80 

(716)  871-4503 


^ 


<^ 


» 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 

The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographicaily  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  In  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  signlficently  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 

L'Instltut  a  microfilm*  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lul  a  etA  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibllographlque,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reprodulte,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mithode  normule  de  filmage 
sont  Indlqute  ci-dessous. 

1      1    Coloured  covers/ 

1 1    Couverture  de  couleur 

Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

Covers  damaged/ 
1 — 1    Couverture  endommag^e 

^— 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagies 

1      1   Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
1 — 1    Couverture  restaurAe  et/ou  pelllcul6e 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restsurAes  et/ou  pelllculAes 

1      1   Cover  title  missing/ 

1 — 1    Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

A 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  dAcolorAes,  tachetAes  ou  pIquAes 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  gAographiques  en  couleur 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  d^tachtes 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
1 — 1    Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

K 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  Illustrations  en  couleur 

Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Quality  inigaie  de  I'lmpression 

The 
to  tl 


The 
posa 
of  tl 
filmi 


Orig 
begi 
the! 
sion 
cthe 
first 
sion 
or  III 


n 


D 


n 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
ReliA  avec  d'autres  documents 


Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  sarr^e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  mar^e  IntArieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  the^e 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certainas  pages  blanches  ajout^es 
lors  d'une  restauratlon  apparaissent  dans  le  texte. 
mais,  lorsque  cela  Atait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  M  filmies. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplAmentaires; 


I      I   Includes  supplementary  material/ 


Comprend  du  mat6riel  suppl^mentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponibie 


The 
shall 
TINL 
whic 

Map 
diffe 
entir 
begii 
right 
requi 
meth 


m 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  M  film^es  A  nouveau  de  fa9on  A 
obtenir  la  mailleure  image  possible. 


This  Item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmi  au  taux  de  reduction  indiquA  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

aox 

7 

12X                             16X                             20X                              24X                             28X                             32X 

re 

l«tailt 
M  du 
nodifier 
ir  une 
ilmage 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

National  Library  of  Canada 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


L'excmplaire  film6  fut  reproduit  grdce  d  la 
g6n6rosit6  de: 

Bibliothdque  nationale  du  Canada 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  it6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettet6  de  I'exemplaire  film6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


a* 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
ether  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  —^-  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprim6e  sont  film^s  en  commen^ant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  film4s  en  commen^ant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  --►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN  ". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
filmAs  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diff^rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  6tre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  film6  A  partir 
de  Tangle  sup6rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n^cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m^thode. 


errata 
to 


I  pelure, 

an  h 


1 

2 

3 

32X 


1 

2 

3 

4 

S 

6 

z 

X 

o 


o 


71 
UJ 


O 


UJ 

□ 
m 

a 
a 
O 

a- 


o 


o 


i 


XWrrUlNiiLAVI) 


I 
o 


o 


IX 
O 


,"i  >-■■».    -'l 


^<     .!!  ■.  I.;  \'  i;  V 


•.•1..-->»l    .'..v..       ...  .'..  ,  .1  ' 


UJ 

O 
cr 

CD 
Q 

cr 
O 


■;■"    (■  .^•;       vyv  ■.■  ,;•>     i  ;.);;iti  ;.i  '" 


>  N 


'"i  I 


I    ! 


'      .'    '•!.■   •u'^i    <'■      .     'iii    V'.'       Ai«    1     fTiif  '      .    'ii-'.t;'.  .■■!' 


I',   1 

.   I 


NEWFOUNDLAND 


••4 


"11 


IS 


/ra   HISTORY,   ITS    PRESENT    CONDITION,  AND    ITS 
PROSPECTS  IN  THE  FUTURE 


BY 


JOSEPH    IIATTON 

Author  of  "  To-day  in  America,"  "  The  New  Ceylon,"  "JoumalUtic  London,"  etc. 


AND 


><>,,;  ; 


■■■■.   4\' 


'■■■I-;  r  I 
•.iVi^lii,. 


Ill 


The    Rev.    M.    IIAKYEY 

A  Resident  of  St.  John't,  and  author  of  "Acroan  Sewfoundland  " 


UianUNTliU   FUOM   THE   ENQUSn   EDITION:    REVISED,   COUUECTEI), 

AND  ENLARGED 


dUustnitijt! 


BOSTON 
PUBLISHED    BY    DOYLE    .t    WHITTLE 

1  .s  .s ;; 


/-^■/977^    , 


liUK 

for 
tho 


PRESS  or 


tPOCKWELL 


uacHiuu* 


PREFACE  TO  THE  ENGLISH  EDITION. 


The  value  of  a  history  of  the  rise  ami  proiri'ess  of  Xewfound- 
laiul  depends  upon  the  qualifications  wliieli  its  authors  possess 
for  the  treatment  of  the  sul)je('t,  the  trustworthy  character  of 
tiie  data  upon  which  their  treatise  is  founded,  and  the  literary 
experience  whicii  they  bring  to  bear  upon  the  exi)osition  of  the 
materials  they  have  tollectcd. 

As  these  are  the  tirst  points  that  seem  to  challenge  criticism, 
a  few  words  of  explanation,  as  to  the  character,  purposes,  and 
raison  d'etre  of  the  present  volume,  will  save  time  and  may 
prevent  misunderstandings. 

Apart  from  the  many  varied  sources  of  knowledge  which 
have  been  examined  in  connection  with  the  following  pages, 
1  would  lay  particular  stress  upon  the  ca})abilities  of  my 
collaborator.  A  scholar  and  a  traveller,  he  has  probably  seen 
more  of  Newfoundland  than  any  man  who  has  contributed  to 
the  literature  of  its  history.  A  resident  in  the  Island  for  a 
quarter  of  a  century,  he  has  coasted  round  it,  exi)lored  nmch 
of  it,  visited  its  ports  and  cities,  studied  its  natural  history, 
mixed  in  its  social,  religious,  juid  political  movements,  and 
generally  mastered  the  subject  "Newfoundland"  in  all  its 
bearings.  A  recognized  local  authcn-ity  on  all  matters  per- 
taining to  the  history  of  the  country  and  its  future  i)Ossibilities, 
the  Kev.  ]M.  Ilarvey  is  known  to  the  leariuul  societies  of 
London  and  also  to  the  jreneral  world  of  letters.^ 


'  ^^^.  Harvey's  ('ontril)Utiims  to  natural  history,  especially  in  connection  \vitl»  the  Kio""- 
tic  eephulDjioils,  or  cultk'-ti^h,  which  he  was  the  lirst  to  tll>cover  iiiiil  desiMihc,  excited 
niucli  interest  in  the  scientilic  world  a  few  years  a^ro.  lie  is  the  author  of  a  popular 
volume  o  literary  sidijeets.  lie  has  written  the  article  "  Luhrailor  "  in  the  new  edition 
of  the  riucyclopiiidia  Hritunnica,"  and  has  in  preparation  for  the  same  work  a  descrip- 
tive essay  on  Ncwfoundlanti. 

(iii) 


IV 


PREFACE    TO    THE   EXGLTSH  EDITION: 


I, 


r 

J 
i 


It  will,  therefore,  be  hardly  ncces.siiry  for  mo  to  say  that,  in 
the  liteniry  partnershii)  involved  in  this  history  of  Xewfoundland, 
the  Rev.  M.  Harvey  eontril)uti,'s  the  largtist  share  of  authorita- 
tive work.  For  nivself,  I  have  hroui^ht  into  the  eollaboration 
a  careful  revision  of  facts  and  opinions,  sonic  special  iuvestii^a- 
tions  of  hislorical  data,  and  such  editorial  skill,  as  is  necessary, 
for  the  transformation  of  unsystematized  MS.  into  the  form 
and  shape  of  a  comprehensivi;  and  methodical  record.  I  have 
to  thank  the  courteous  officials  of  the  IJritish  Museum  for  their 
assistance  in  facilitatinj^  my  examination  of  MSS.,  maps,  and 
oth(!r  documents  that  make  up  the  curious  chronicles  of  the 
discovery  and  early  ^^fovernmimt  of  the  oldest  British  colony. 
London  is  the  centre  of  stored  knowledge.  In  the  production 
of  this  volume  it  has  been  found  important  to  have  one  of  its 
authors  enijaiied  within  hail  of  the  British  Museum;  while  the 
other  labored  amidst  the  scenes  to  be  described,  a  living 
witness  of  manv  of  the  facts  hereinafter  narrated.  On  his  side, 
by  the  courtesy  of  Sir  William  Whiteway,  the  Premier  of 
Newfoundland,  Mr.  Harvey  has  had  full  access  to  the  archives 
of  the  local  governuient ;  on  mine  I  have  had  London  as  a 
Library  of  Keference. 

It  encouraged  me  greatly,  in  regard  to  the  necessity  and 
protit  of  our  joint  labors,  when  the  first  results  of  my  in((uiries 
about  Newfoundland  proved  to  be  of  a  very  limited  character. 
I  found  the  Island  almost  a  terra  Incorniila  to  the  raaioritv  of 
the  })ers<)ns  whom  I  should  have  supjjosed  to  be  best  ac(piainted 
with  it.  The  latest  history  was  issued  in  18();},'  and  this, 
though  an  excellent  work  in  itself,  neither  dealt  with  the 
tisheries,  the  agriculture,  nor  the  mineral  resources  of  the 
country  ;  nor  did  it  attemjit  to  cover  the  unoccupied  ground 
of  toi)ograi)hy,  physical  geography,  and  other  features  of  the 
Island,  necessary  to  a  comprehensive  treatment  of  the  subject. 

I  do  not  offer  these  remarks  as  any  rcjfleetion  u])on  an 
admirable  work,  but  only  to  emphasize  the  fact  that  its  scope 
was  limited,  and  that,  even  as  an  historical  record,  the  chroni- 
cle ended   with   1800 ;   while  to  the   last  decade   belongs  the 


Till'  "  Ili«t(iiy  111' \r\v!'imii(lhmil,"  liy  the  Ui'v.  ("Iiiirli's  IVdloy.    Lonilou:  JiOnj,'iiiiiii-i, 


l,s(,;{. 


I 


I  ( 


PREFACE    TO    THE    EXGLISlf    EDITION. 


II :  L()ii;,'iiiim-<, 


\\\o>{,  importiiiit  advmu'c  wliiili  Xi-wlbuiullniid  has  made  ilurin<j; 
its  loll"  and  .siiiixular  exirsteiK-e  as  a  di'pi'iuleiu-y  of  the  IJrilisli 
Crown. 

The  story  of  Xcwfonndland  is  one  of  tiic  most  rcniarUaMi' 


episodes  in  the  history-  of  the  IJritish   Knipire.     It  present- 


ns 


at   onr  worst  anc 


I   at 


onr 


hest. 


Stranirc'   instances   of  ollicial 


tyranny  hhir  the  ehronicdes  of  the   Island's  rise  and  proirri 


() 


n  a 


^nailer  field  Freedom  has  iiad  ahnost  as  hai'd  a  l)attle  in 


NewfoniKHand  as  tiiat  whieh  was  neeessary  to  estahli.^h  her 
.sui)remaey  at  home.  Not  that  the  islaiKh'rs  fonijht  and  l)le(l  for 
the  ])rivih'u:('s  they  now  enjoy.  'I'hey  did  not  win  their  liberties 
with  piUe  and  Lnm.  The  i)omi)  and  I'ii'enmstanee  of  war  Munu^ 
no  hah)  of  jrlory  about  their  political  ai-jiievements.  Toilinj; 
and  snllerinir,  they  Iton;  their  many  ills  with  a  patient  loyalty  to 
the  llonu^  (fovernment  that  deserved  the  (juick  reward  which  it 
did  not  receive.  To-day,  however,  no  Kni:lish  ministry  can 
look  I»ack  upon  the  maladministration  of  the  country,  without  a 
desire  to  redeem  a  past  of  crmdty  and  ncirlcct,  I>y  a  present 


e( 


)nciIiatory  watchfulness  over  Newfoundland's  future  intcrest.- 


Tl 


u!  special  grievances  of  the  pt  oph 


th 


uni(|Ue  |)()sition  t)f  tlu 


colony,  the  attenijit  to  make,  it  a  mere  lishinir-station  and 
trainini;-i>round  for  the  Navy,  the  curious  anomalies  of  tlni 
local  and  imperial  laws  under  which  the  people  labored  ;  all 
tlu>s(^  subjects  are  considered  and  illustrated  in  the  following 
l)ages. 

In  the  active  etl'orts  that  were  made,  for  more  than  a  century, 
to  su[)press  the  colonization  of  Newfoundland,  coercive  laws 
wer(>  supplemented  by  libels  on  its  climate  and  ^oil.  The 
English  merchants,  who  used  it  as  a  lishing-station,  pul)lished 


I  1 


oir. 


Oil 


icial 


ol 


it  al)r()ad  as  a  land  given  over  to  sterility  anc 
the  Home  Government  encouraged  these  reports.  \\'li('n,  in 
spite  of  them,  infatuated  emigrants  found  their  way  thither, 
thev  were  forbidden  either  to  build  on  the  land,  or  to  obtain  any 
proprietary  rights  in  the  soil.  Every  sumnuu-  the  Fishing  Ad- 
mirals took  possession  of  the  Island,  with  in<'ontestable  power 
to  use  or  to  (h'stroy  any  huts,  stages,  or  l)uildings,  which  the 
inhabitants  might  have  erected  near  the  coast.  In  the  autunm 
the  lishing-Heets  sailed  away.     On  arriving  in  the  English  ports 


VI 


PREFACE    TO    THE   EXOLTFtlf   EDITION: 


\    i 


1 


the  captiiiiis  were  jmiiislicd  if  tlicy  did  not  Iiriiig  honu'  jiLjiiiii  as 
iiianv  men  as  they  I'.ad  taken  out. 

Diiriiiir  the  i)l('asant  ila^'s  of  suinnuT  tlic;  Fishinjx  Admirals 
and  tlicir  cnnvs  made  the  countiy  a  howlinir  wilderness.  Win- 
ter fdinid  it  a  solitude  and  a  desolation.  Yet,  stran_i»'e  to  say, 
there  were  people  who  elnnir  to  its  inhospitahhi  shores.  Such 
Law  and  Justiee  as  existed  there  at  all,  went  away  every 
aulunm.  with  the  migratory  merchants  and  admirals.  Thi^ 
Freedom  of  License  reigned  one  half  the  year,  tin;  Tyranny  of 
Irresponsihility  the  other.  Justiee  was  held  in  greater  respect, 
^  -when  Law  was  absent,  thyn  when  iunorant  and  interested  skip- 
pers administered  it  on  the  qutirterdecks  of  their  eonuuercial 
ships. 

Men  tlyiiiij^  from  troubles  at  home,  unfortunate  traders,  exiles 
for  conscience'  saki;,  adventurers  to  whom  settled  <rovernment 
means  chains  and  shackles  ;  these  and  such  like  found  shelter  in 
Newfoundland.  l»v  dei^rees,  as  the  laws  relaxed  in  regard 
to  settlement,  and  the  tvrannv  of  the  Fishin:^,'  Admirals  waned, 
the  po[)ulation  irrew  from  a  few  hundred  families  to  a  few 
thousands.  With  the  broadeninir  of  the  oi)portunities  of  labor 
and  enterprise  it  increased,  from  eighty  thousand  in  1S14, 
to  something  ap})roachiu<;,  at  the  i)resent  time,  two  hundred 
thousand.  Little  better  than  a  mere  fisliini»;-villaii'o  ui)  to 
the  end  of  the  last  century,  Newfoundland  is  to-day  a  thriving 
connnunity.  The  time  is  not  far  distant  when  it  may  rival, 
hi  wealth  and  status,  the  most  important  of  England's  colonial 
possessions. 

Discovered  three  hundred  years  ago,  Newfoundland  has  only, 
in  these  latter  days,  been  exi)lored.  The  result  of  scientitic 
investigation  i)roves  that  it  is  endowed  with  all  the  ])ossibilities 
of  mineral  and  agricultural  wealth.  The  geological  survey, 
conducted  over  a  jjcriod  of  seventeen  years,  dissipates  the  libels 
of  those  conspirators  of  the  past  who  wished  to  keej)  the  Island 
as  a  mere  curing  stage  for  cod.  IJich  in  useful  minends,  New- 
foundland has  lertile  lielts  second  to  none  in  the  New  World. 
Seventy  years  ago  it  was  unlawful  to  build  a  house  on  the 
L'^land  without  (iovernment  i)ermission.  It  is  within  (juite  a 
recent  date  that  st'ttling  there  and  cultivating  the  soil  have  been 


'I 


PREFACE    TO    THE    ENGLISH   EDITION. 


Vll 


no  niiJiiii  as 

[  Admirals 
'ss.  Wlii- 
<;(»  to  say, 
I'os.  Siu'li 
Aay  oNcrv 
nils.  TIk? 
\'niiiiiv  ot' 
:er  respect, 
ested  skip- 
"oinmorcial 

Ici's,  exiles 

:()veniincnt 

1  shelter  in 

ill   reijanl 

•als  waned, 

to   a   lew 

)s  of  laltor 

in    IS  14, 

)  hundred 

<:e   up   to 

a  thriving 

may  rival, 

's  colonial 

has  only, 
scientilic 
jssihilities 
il  survey, 
thelil)els 
he  Island 
•als,  New- 
w  ^^'orld. 
se  on  the 
in  (juite  a 
have  been 


ttderated.  Half  a  century  ago  there  were  no  regularly  con- 
structed roads  in  tlu;  country,  and  hardly  a  house  worthy  of  the 
name,  from  an  English  point  of  view.  It  is  within  a  score 
of  years  that  anything  like  connncrce,  outside  the  fish-liade, 
lias  made  a  mark  on  the  rising  towns  and  cities  ;  and  it  is  liitle 
more  than  a  year  ago  that,  in  a  journalistic  capacity,  I  had  the 
sati-'faction  of  cabling  from  New  York  to  London  the  Hrst  news 
of  the  closing  of  a  ilctinite  agreement  for  providing  the  Island 
with  the  one  great  factor  of  connneree  which  her  or<Mhi/ation 
re(juired. 

At  that  time  Xewfoundland  had  no  railway.  As  material  on 
which  to  base  i)rcdiction  of  future  success,  and  as  an  example 
of  the  rapidity  of  modern  progress,  1  am  informed  that  at  the. 
date  of  these  introductory  words  to  an  interesting  historical 
record,  forty-liv(!  miles  of  road  are  open  and  at  work.  Fuitlwr- 
niorc,  it  is  probalile  that  the  time  is  not  far  distant  when  this 
hitherto  neglected  English  colony  will  be  the  half-way  house  of 
ocean-travel  between  the  Old  World  and  the  great  industrial 
centres  of  the  New.  The  resting-j)laee  of  tin;  first  Atlantic 
cable,  there  is  every  reason  to  believe  that  it  is  destined  to  be 
the  Jimction  of  sea-travel  and  land-transit  between  England  and 
America,  shortening  the  ocean  voyage  to  four  days,  and  dis- 
counting  the  present  time  ))etween  England  and  New  York  by 
fort  v-eiii'ht  hours.  Criven  these  i)robabilitics  and  the  certainties 
which  are  already  historical,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Nowlbnnd- 
landers  are  on  the  high  road  to  that  good  fortune  which  cNcry 
intelligent  traveller,  uninlluenced  by  political  interests,  has 
j)ronii>ed  them. 

As  a  lii'ld  of  emigration,  mor(>  particularly  for  inyestnieni  of 
labor  and  money  in  agricultural  jjursiuts,  Newfoundland  has 
advantages  which  are  set  forth  on  the  authority  of  practical 
sia-vevors,  mineral  and  auricultural,  in  sncccedinu-  pa^r^s.  1'here 
is  no  doubt  us  to  the  excellence  of  the  soil,  in  the  interior,  for 
the  cultivation  of  agricultural  jjroducts  ;  whih;  the  value  of  the 
grazing  lands,  that  are  scattered  here  and  there  over  thousands 
of  acres  of  fertile  valleys,  is  eipially  beyond  question.  All  that 
is  necessary  to  their  develoi)ment  is  the  completion  of  the  rail- 
way system  now  in  course  of  construction,  which  will  bring 


VIU 


PREFACE    TO    THE   EXGLISIT  EDITION. 


Xt'wfoundlaiul  farms  nonror,  })y  several  days  to  the  markets  of 
En_irl:»id,  than  any  other  e()m[)etin<^  districts  of  tlic  American 
continent.     The    mineral  prosjjeets  of  Newfoundland   are    not 
behind  those  of  aixriculture.     It  is  already  the  tifth  on  the  world's 
list  of  copper-exportiniT  countries.      Iloldinjr  a  foremost  ))Iace 
amoni^  lishin_<^  industries,  its  coasts  ar<^  the  theatre  of  excitiuu: 
adventmvs  beloniring  to  the  jrarnerin;^  of  the  ocean  harv(!st>. 
Ardent  si)ortsmen  seek  its  forests  and  streams  in  pursuit  of  "liii 
and  fur."    The  ireoloirist  is  busy  amon<>'  its  hills  and  valleys.    ^lin- 
ing  prospectors  are  examininir  the  tracks  of  the  (lovernment  suv- 
veyors.     The  first  locomotives  are  running  from  the  capital  tn 
the  adjacent  towns.     A  tide  of  emigration  is  evidently  on  l!i',' 
eve  of  Slotting  in  upon  its  shores.      No  complete  survey  of  its 
history  and  condition,  its  physical  geogi'aphy,  its  fishing  and 
other    industries,    its    mineral    r.nd    agricultural    resourc(>s,   its 
govermnent,  its    hnvs,  manners  and    customs  in  the  past  and 
present,    its   ju'ospeets    in    the    future     has    ever    befon*    been 
altein|)ted.     The  book  now  presenteil  to  the  readcu'  is  therefore 
a  cidti\"ition  of  hitherto  unoccupied  ground.     Th(>  result  may 
not  be  in  all  rcs})ects  satisfactory.      l?ut  as  a  ))ione(>r  volume  it 
is  entitled  to  friendly  cousidcM'ation.     ^Vpart  from  studies  made 
for  it  u[)on  the  spot,  almost   every  known  work,  printed  or  in 
mamiscrii)t,  relating  to  Newfoundland  has  been  consulted  in  the 
course  of  its  preparation  for  the  press.     These  have  include<l 
Parliamentary  p;>i)ers  and  GovermncMit  despatches  in  the  archives 
of  the    British    Mus(>um  and    Kccord    OtKce,    journals    of  the 
House  of  Assembly  and  Customs'  returns  at  St.  John's,  news- 
paper records,  and  private  letters.      Xo  source  of  possible  iii- 
I'ormation  has  been  overlooked.     To  gatlu>r  the  facts  thus  col- 
lected into  an  interesting  shapiN  and  within  reasonable  comitass. 
has  bi'cn  no  li^ht  task;  with  which  suirir<'stion  of  excuse  for 
any  shortcomings   the  authors  [iresent  to  the    world  this  new 
history  of  Kngland's  oldest  colony. 

JOSEril  IIATTON. 

London,  Jiinuiiry,  1883. 


V  > 


!U-k('ts  of 

AnuH-ic:in 

arc    not 

le  world's 

lost    l)liUO 

f  cxcitinj; 

h:irv(!sts. 

uitof'tiii 

»ys.    ^liu- 

lIlKMlt  SUV- 

Ciipital  t(> 
tly  on  111'.' 
A^cy  of  its 
sliing  iuid 
)in*cos,  its 
I  piist  iind 
fore    Ix'cn 
■;  thcrofoi'o 
I'sult  niJiy 
volume  it 
lies  niiidc 
ntod  or  in 
I'd  in  thr 
included 
■  archives 
Is    of  the 
I's,  nows- 
)ssil)!e  iii- 
tliii-  col- 
comjiass. 
xcusc  for 
this  new 

TTON. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  AMERICAN  EDITION. 


The  proposal  which  has  been  made,  ]>y  Messrs.  Doylk  and 
WiinTLE,  of  Boston,  Mass.,  to  reprint  "Newfoundland  —  the 
Oldest  British  Colony" — has  been  to  me  a  source  of  nmch 
•gratification;  and  it  is  with  pleasure  I  accede  to  their  re(|uest, 
to  sanction  their  enterprise  by  writin<;  a  preface,  and  revisin<j: 
the  text  of  the  Enj^lish  edition. 

It  may  be  well  to  state  that  the  recjuest  referred  to  has  been 
made  to  me  on  the  ground  that  the  principal  portion  of  the 
labor  in  prei)aring  the  volume,  of  necessity,  devolved  on  mo, 
Ixing  a  resident  in  Newfoundland  and  ac(|uainted  with  the 
country  ;  while  my  able  and  esteemed  collaborator,  Mr.  llatton, 
aided  in  the  way  which  he  has  described  in  his  preface  to  the 
original  edition. 

'fo  have  their  works  re[)ublished  in  America  is,  at  llu; 
present  time,  justly  regarded  by  English  authors  as  one  of  the 
highest  honors  which  can  be  conferred  on  them;  and  is  also 
generally  accepted  as  u  proof  that  the  work  to  which  sueh  a 
compliment  is  paid  must  be  possessed  of  sonu^  especial  merits. 
In  the  lase  of  the  present  volume,  which  has  been  favorably 
spoken  of  by  the  leading  literai'v  organs  in  Kngland,  and  so 
well  r"ceived  there  that  a  second  edition  will  soon  be  neces- 
>ary,  it  is  specially  gratifying  to  me  and  my  colleague  to 
fuul  that,  a  few  months  after   its   appetirance  in  England,  an 

American  edition  is  projected.     In  order  to   rcconnnend  that 

(ix) 


1;' 


'tl 


PREFACE    TO    THE    AMERICAN'   EDITION. 


odltion  to  the  attention  of  the  American  i)ul)lie,  I  have  carefully 
revised,  not  only  the  descriptive  and  statistical  jjortions,  ))ut 
also  the  historical  section,  wltii  the  view  of  renderinj^  the 
volume  a  reliable  book  of  reference  on  all  matters  connected 
with  the  country  of  which  it  treats.  1  have  brought  down  the 
various  n.'turns  and  statistics  to  the  latest  dates,  and  I  have 
added  an  Appendix,  in  which  will  l)e  found  some  valuable  in- 
formation not  contained  in  the  Enirlish  edition. 

It  will  be  to  me  a  matter  of  great  satisfaction  if  the  present 
volume  should  prove  instrumental,  to  any  extent,  in  making 
known  to  the  peoi)le  of  the  Great  Ivcpublic  of  the  West,  the 
condition  and  ca{)abilitieis  of  an  island  which,  though  so  near 
their  shores,  is  so  little  known,  or  rather  is  so  generally  mis- 
known,  not  only  in  America,  but  also  among  the  peoi)le  of 
England.  The  prejjaration  of  the  book,  which  involved  no 
small  amount  of  toil,  has  been  to  me  a  labor  of  love.  Should 
it  aid  in  attracting  attention  to  the  splendid  natural  resources 
of  the  country,  and  thus  })romote  their  develo[)ment,  and  tend 
to  advance  the  prosperity  and  hai)[)iness  of  irs  people,  1  shall 
!»('  ami)ly  rewarded.  I  can  truly  say  that  I  have  spared  no 
j)ains  in  securing  accuracy  in  the  various  statemen  s  and  details 
which  relate  to  the  resources,  the  trade  and  industries,  and  the 
general  condition  of  the  isLmd.  My  aim  has  been  to  present  a 
full  and  trustworthy  account  of  the  country  at  the  present  time, 
and  also  to  trace  back  historically  the  causes  which  have 
operated  to  bring  about  the  condition  of  things  which  wo 
now  tind  to  exi^t. 

Newfoundland  is  united  l)y  many  ties  to  the  Republic  of 
America.  When  dire  calamity  had  overtaken  its  ca[)ital,  by 
tli(>  ravages  of  tire,  the  people  of  Boston  and  other  places  sent 
prompt  and  generous  aid, — a  deed  of  kindness  wliich  is  still 
gratefully  remembered.  In  her  dark  and  sullering  days  many 
of  her  children  sought  and  found  a  refuge  in  the  United  States  ; 


■W 


■•.i\ 


rREFACK    TO    TIFF:   AMEIUC.iy   EDITIOS. 


XI 


?  carefully 
tions,  ])ut 

lerinj^  the 
connected 
down  the 
id  I  have 
luahlc  in- 

le  present 
in  mukin<^ 
West,  the 
li  so  near 
jrally  mis- 
people    of 
v'olved    no 
Should 
resources 
and  tend 
le,  I  shall 
si)ared  no 
nd  details 
s,  and  the 
[)rescnt  a 
sent  time, 
lic'h   have 
which  we 

public  of 
iipital,  by 
aces  sent 
•h  is  still 
lys  maiiy 
jd  States ; 


and  now.  in  most  of  the  j^reat  cities  of  America,  Newfound- 
landers arc  to  be  found,  many  of  them  occui)yinu;  positions  of 
honor  and  trust,  and  still  chcrishinir  kindly  remembrances  of 
the  sea-iiirt  isle  in  which  their  early  da\'s  were  spent.  The  ties 
of  connnercial  interest,  also,  arc  constantly  extendinjr.  At  the 
present  time  Xewfoundiand  im[)orts  from  tlu^  United  Slates 
pnxhicts  of  various  kinds  to  the  value  of  $2, 214, ()(•()  per 
amuun,  and  sends  thither  annually  iishery  products  valued  at 
$;)()().()()().  ^lorc  than  tifteen  per  cent,  of  the  entire  volume  of 
her  trade  is  with  the  United  States. 

Xewfomidland  has  now  entered  on  a  eoiu'se  of  self-develop- 
ment, and  has  at  len_irth  jj^ot  fairly  into  the  j^roove  of  progress. 
Her  ))rospccts  were  never  so  bright  and  eheeriiiii;  as  at  the 
])rescnt  hour.  She  has  at  length  obtaiiu'd  the  grand  lever  of 
all  [)rogress,  —  a  railway,  which  will  extend  year  by  yeai", 
open  up  the  fertile  lands  for  settlement,  and  [jroduce  a  material 
and  social  revolution  which  will  be  conducive  to  the  adxancc- 
ment  of  her  pe()[)le.  ^Mining  is  rapidly  extending  and  homo 
industries  are  nudtii)lying.  A  consideralih^  rill  from  the  great 
stream  of  emigration  rushing  past  her  shores  to  the  West  will 
speedily  bo  direct(Ml  to  her  fertile  valU^ys.  She  is  now  free  and 
self-governed,  and  her  pt^oph^  feel  that  their  destinies  are  in 
thi>ir  own  hands.  \\'hat  her  political  i'uture  may  be,  in  the 
ages  to  come,  it  would  be  vain  to  conjecture.  The  duty  of  the 
present  hour  is  to  turn  to  account  those  great  natural  ad\an- 
tages  which  have  lain  dormant  so  long,  and  thus  raise  the 
country  to  a  higher  level  of  ))rosperity  and  social  progress. 
Should  this  \  ilume  hel[)  forward  such  results,  in  any  humble 
mejisure,  the  labor  bestowed  on  it  will  l)e  more  than  recctm- 
l)cnse(l.  For  many  yeni's  I  have  been  endeavoring,  tlii'oiigh 
the  medium  of  the  periodical  press  ol  tli<'  day,  to  dispel  the 
false  impressions  which  have  been  so  generally  pre\alenl  re- 
gardin."-   tho  country,  and    to  make    it   kn(;svn  as  it    is.     The 


Xll 


PREFACE    TO    THE   AMERICAN  EDITIOX. 


rcsiiltts  of  niiiny  years'  study  of  the  country  are  now  collected 
in  the  present  volume  ;  and  my  earnest  hope  is  that  it  may 
prove  useful,  not  only  in  diffusing  correct  and  reliable  infor- 
mation abroad,  but  also  in  leading  the  people  of  Newfound- 
land to  think  more  highly  of  the  land  of  their  birth  or 
a(loi)tion,  to  entertain  a  tinner  contidenec  in  its  future,  and 
to  cherish  more  warmly  that  patriotic  spirit  which  is  the 
mainspring  of  all  true  progress. 

M.   HAllVEY. 

St.  John's,  Newfoundland, 
August  23,  1883. 


■1   i. 


.., 


>     - 


w  collected 
that  it  may 
iablc  infor- 
Newfound- 
ir  birth  or 
future,  and 
hich    is  the 


CONTENTS. 


PART  I.  —  HISTORICAL  RECORD. 


CIIAPTEIl  I. 


PAOB 


From  the   Discovehy  of  tiik   Island  to  the   First  Attempt  at   its 
Settlement.     [1497-1583.] 1 


CILVrTER  II. 
Eauly  Struggles  in  Teace  and  War.     [I.'583-1697.] 


•  • 


19 


CHAPTER   III. 
Tyranny  by  Act  of  Parliament.     [1091-1728.] 


.     34 


CHAPTER  IV. 
The  Fishery  Rights  of  France.     [1728-1793.] 


44 


CHAPTER  V. 
"Through  the  Fire."     [1793-1801.]. 


•  • 


04 


CHAPTER  VI. 
"After  Darkness  — Dawn  "     [18C1-1882.] 


.    9G 


(xiii) 


rr 


li      I 


■  •} 


■   I 


I 


I'  Hi 


XIV  CONTENTS. 

PART  IL— PHYSICAL   GEOGRAPHY  AND  % 

TOPOGRAPHY.  I 

I 

CHAPTER   I.  f 

PAGE 

Situation,  Mountains,  and  Rivers Ill 

;.:     The 

CHAPTER   II. 
St.  John's,  the  Capital  of  Newfoundland 124  •■■ 

CHAPTER    III. 
Rays  and  Haubous 133  'I 

4 

CHAPTER   IV.  5 

The  Intekioh 141 

CHAPTER    V.  ;| 

Geology 150 

CHAPTER   VI. 
Climate 158 

CHAPTER  Vll. 
The  AiioitioiNES 168 

CHAPTKR   VIII. 
Manners  and  Customs 187 

CHAPTER   IX.  ^H   The  F 

Animal  Kingdom 193 

CHAPTER  X. 
Vkoetaulk  Kingdom 203  ty 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Ne«  FOINDI-AND    AS    A    Si'OUTINU    C»)UNTUY    .......    208 

''a 


CONTENTS. 


XV 


AND 


PART  III.  —  THE  FISHERIES. 


PAGE 
.     Ill 


CHAPTER  I. 


The  Histokv  and  Condition  of  the  Codfish  iNDustniES 


FAGS 

.  218 


124 


133 


141 


CIIAl'TER   11, 

Natuiial  HisTonv  of  the  Cod,  its  Distuihution,  Movements,  Spawn- 
ing, AND  Mode  of  Cure 235 


CHAPTER  III. 
The  Seal  Industry 24" 


150 


CHAPTER   IV. 
Natural  History  or  the  Seal 


•        .        • 


.  260 


158 


CHAPTER   V. 


Salmon 


.  2GG 


.  168 


.  187 


.  193 


CHAPTER  VI. 
The  Herring  and  Other  Fisheries 


•        • 


CHAPTER   VII. 
The  Fisheries  as  Affected  ijy  International  Treaties 


271 


.  27G 


205 


CHAPTER   VIII. 


Labrador 


•        • 


.  285 


208 


I' 


XVI 


CONTEXTS. 


PART  IV.  —  AGRICULTURAL  RESOURCES. 


CHAPTER   I. 


Thk  Geographical  Sdrvey 


PAGE 


CIIAI'TER   II. 
The  Couroy  Valleys  on  the  Western  Coast 


308 


CHAPTER  III. 
Tub  Bay  of  St.  George  and  the  Western  Country    . 


313 


V) 


CHAPTER   IV, 
Notre  Dame  Bay  and  the  Eastern  Districts 


323 


m 


\'A\ 


CHAPTER   V. 
On  the  Prospects  of  Land  Investments  and  Emigration 


PART  v.  — MINERAL  RESOURCES. 


333 


CHAPTER   I. 
Pioneer  Work  and  Prospects 344 


CHAPTER   II. 
Metalliferous  Deposits  and  Coal  Areas 


348 


CONTEXTS. 


XV 11 


PART   VI.— POPULATION,    GOVERNMENT,   ETC. 


CHAPTER   I. 


PopuLAJioN  AND  Trade 


PAOG 

.  3G0 


CHAPTER   II. 


Government 


.  373 


CHAPTER  III. 
Roads,  Railways,  and  Steam  Communication 


380 


CHAPTER   IV. 


Education 


.,  388 


CHAPTER   V. 
«      Religious  Denominations 31)4 

CHAPTER    VI. 
The  Post-Otfice,  Constabulary,  Light-houses,  Banks,  etc.      .        ,  402 


APPENDICES 


t  •  • 


•  • 


.  409 


% 


Ijl 


I'iil 


.!:'! 


LIST   OF    ILLUSTEATIOiNS. 


M      AiiovK  Watekford  Bridge  —  Four  Milks  from  St.  John's 
Skction  of  the  Mapamundi  of  Sehastian  Caiiot,  1544 

Sebastian  Cahot  

Jacqi:es  Cartieu 

Sir  Humi'iirey  Gilbert  Keading  his  Commission 

Sir  Hi  mi'hrey  Giliiert 

AViM.cK  of  the  "Delight" 

Sir  Walter  Kaleigii   .... 

James  I. 

Heart's  Content  Harbor  and  Village 
liocKv  KivER  Bridge  .... 
Wigwam  Point,  Exploits  Kiver 

liivER  IIlmber 

Cnv  OF  St.  John's       .... 

Koman  Catholic  Cathedral,  St.  John's 

Government  House,  St.  John's 

Entrance  to  St.  John's  Harbor 

I'lacentia      ........ 

Ijett's  Cove  Harbor,  Notre  Dame  Bay  . 
Conception   Bay.      Topsail.      Great    and   Little 

Distance  

On  the  "Barrens" 

Fish-flake.     Cod  spread  out.     Boat  J  anding  Coi 
St.  John's  Harbor — Fish-curing 

Seal-Hunter 

i\uRoRAL  Display  .... 

Sealers  ax  Work        .... 
Li'mberman's  Camp  in  Winter  . 
Copper  Mine,  Bett's  Cove 

First    Excursion    Trip    on    the    Newfoundland    Railway 

(xix) 


.    Frontispiece, 


Bel 


LE    Isi 


.    in 

.      14 

.    in 

.      17 
.     21 

.  lm; 

.  114 

.  117 

.  120 

.  123 

Facing  p.  124 

.  12!) 

.  i;iO 

Facing  p.  WYi 
.  i;i4 
.    137 

E    IN     THE 

.    139 

Facing  p.  214 

.   243 

Facing  p.   244 

Placing  p.   2(S 

Facing  p.  2.")4 

Facing  p.  2.">S 

.  343 

.  340 

.  384 


,'>J 


0 


i 


y 


'1' 


^>.ov-. 


cop  J 


yL-'^^.^-^ 


^  I^ 


•i>U 


BPJoJvn 


■50- 


>i^'-^P 


/ 


V,v 


S2 


X 


.^ 


y" 


C.Ba-kjSXd/ 


\y 


FOUNDLAND 


ifl       f      0 


'"^     tnti*^*^^^^ 


X^\^J^'<^9(>^' 


caPP 


'^^^r/cv 


^:::^:r^;* 


,^' 


1^ 


^^I^BW 


— ^ 


K*". 


} 


V, 


C^ 


U 


V- 


<J 


{ 


V 


<> 


s 


■^fc^  "  M  -I 


~y7^- 


S   ) 


.-^ 


7r>  ^   /X. 


^1  cK'>'^'''r   ,  -^  ^^'^ 


L 


At  , 


/  ^^■^•, -^>-i^>^' 


U^c: 


^7^ 


'   I.       )V 


^^ 


( 


^^ 


3^ 


^■iL 


51^  ^^ 


l<»^>^   K«B>«>^« 


— .1 _|i  __  ^_\k  ^f^^  / 


A 


.  .a   r 


v^T'C'-^n.-Sil;-,''?/ 


^  •*^' 

i>^ 


^i 


j*~ 


>!a 


.r 


/-'\. 


tv^ — ^. 


^C^i 


^ 


''"^:f'i^  f 


MCjQjVtk 


^      3       I 


V'  .-        <r  It)  fiU" 


TO 


r'-?^^"^'"f/ 


'L.._.,._U. 


Cf"^    F<3 13.121  s  al  w 


-  pr  - — 


5<? 


55 


iwwwpww*«»^'**= 


'i       1.!' 


■     i    Ml 


I  I: 


H 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


PART     I. 


HISTORICAL    RECOKD. 


CHAPTER  I. 


FROM  THE   DISCOVERY   OF  THE   ISLAND   TO   THE    FIRST 
ATTEMPT   AT   SI:TTLKME\T. 

[M97-I.J83.] 

Discovery  of  Newfoiinillaiid  —  Tl\o  Cnhots  iiiiil  ('ulii".;!;;i  ■  —  UnrocordiMl  advcnt- 
iiri's  —  Royal  parsimony  —  Si'l)a-itiMii  Calioi's  last  hours — llolbcinV  porirait 
•if  till' , threat  naviijator — Sir  IIiiiiii)lirey  Oiibcrt's  t'Xi)i'ilitioi\ — Takini;'  |»)s- 
si'ssion  of  tlio  ishiMil  in  tho  uaini'  of  Eli/atn'tli — Ftital  conclusion  df  the 
enterprise  —  Loss  ot    the  '' Siiuirrol"  with  Sir    Iluui'ilircy  GillKrt  ami  all 

llMUlls. 

At  diiyhroak  on  the  2  1th  of  June,  1H)7,  the  welcome  cry 
of"  Land  ho  !  "  from  the  nmsth  vid  of  the  "  Mtithcw  "  of  I-ristol 
proi'lahnod  the!  dif?covery  of  what  is  to-day  Knu'land's  oldest 
(■<il(/iiy.  Thi^  warniii*^  of  the  h)ok-out  was  i\'s|)(in(U'd  to  l>y  !i 
round  of  liiilish  cheers  from  the  (h'ck  hidow,  'l\n>  tioht  li'ilo 
pioneer  ship,  one  of  the  small  caravals  ol'  tluxe  days,  was 
manned  hy  West-Country  sailors.  Her  commander  was  dohn 
Cahot.  His  tu'st  oflieer  was  his  worthy  son  Sehasliiin.  At  this 
period  Amcrijjo  Vespucci,  whose  name  was  to  i^ive  a  title  to  tho 
New  World,  had  not  ycit  made  his  Ijrst  voytii^e  across  lln'  Atlantic 
Tho  importance  of  Cabot's  discovery  can  hardly  he  overrated. 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


\\ 


"I 


I'  t 


It  ijfjive  to  Eniiliind  her  cl:iim  to  the  sovcrci<riitv  of  a  lariro 
portion  of  North  Ainerica.  It  iii.si)iri'd  her  tir.>t  impulse  of 
colonization.  But  for  the  Cahots,  Spain  would  no  douht  hav(; 
niono[)oli/ed   discovery  in   Xorth,   as  well   as  South   America. 


It 


IS  wort  11  while  nuiuirmg  how  they  w 


th 


I'cro  led   to  this   trreat 


achicvi'ment. 

Tli(^  close  of  the  fifteenth  century  was  marked  by  the  grand- 
est event  of  modern  times  —  the  discovery  of  the  New  World 
I)V  Columbus.  The  news  broke  on  men's  minds  with  start linjj; 
cU'ect.  The  noblest  and  the  most  daring  spirits  of  Europe 
were  stirnnl  to  their  depths.  The  imi)ulse  to  e.\i)lorc  the  won- 
ders and  tlu^  mysteries  of  the  land,  the  outer  curtains  of  which 
Columbus  had  just  raised,  tired  thousands  of  brave  hearts. 
Among  those  who  felt  this  kindling  impulse  most  keenly  wcn^ 
John  Cabot  and  his  son  Sebastian.  The  father  was  born  of 
Italian  parents.  Venice  was  probably  his  native  city.  There 
are  those,  however,  who  claim  this  honor  foi-  Bristol.  At  all 
events,  he  lived  there  for  many  years,  and  his  son  Sebastian 
was  born  and  bri'd  in  that  ancient  port.'  Of  this  gi'cat  navi- 
gator, little  is  known  beyond  the  fact  that  he  was  a  thoughtful 
man.  Ambition  led  him  far  beyond  the  mere  routine  of  busi- 
ness. The  maritime  discoveries  of  the  time  engrossed  his 
coiwtant  attention.  His  son  Sebastian,  who  with  his  father 
was  destined  to  achieve  a  fame  second  only  to  that  of  Colum- 
l)us,  inherited  his  father's  predilections,  and  entered  at  an 
early  age  on  a  seafaring  lil'e.  When  the  news  of  the  famous 
Si>aniard's  great  discovery  Hew  from  nation  to  nsition,  tilling  all 
lOurope  with  wonder,  it  inspired  the  ambition  of  these  two  men 
■with  a  di'sire  to  rival  his  achievements.  Pondering  the  sub- 
ject deei)ly  they  came  to  the  conclusion  th;  t,  by  taking  a 
north-west  course,  instea(^  of  following  the  track  of  the  great 


'  "  Wliiit  <'(>niiti'_viii:iii  ori;,'iiiii!iy  wias  Jolm  (;iil)of  ?  .\s  we  liiivc  seen,  lie  only  l)ecoines 
a  \\iu'iiuu(.'iti/oii  in  1 17().  Win  olil  .lolm  Stow  ri^jlit  in  ciiUinj;  liini  a  (iunocso,  or  was 
lie  Ml'li'i'  :ill  nil  llM'jli^iuniin,  wlio  lor  snnic  si-rvico  liiid  thin  hond/  coiiriTi'iMl  u)X)n  liini, 
oven  iis  Williiini  (iolil  had  ?  I'Vir  anulit  that  apivnis  to  tho  ((nilrary,  lio  liinisi'lf  niiuht 
have  lu'iMi  hoi'n  in  Mrisiol;  ami  not  niiMiy  yoars  sinco  wo  wi-rc  as^ul•^Hl  Ihoi'c  woi'o  >sL'vt'i'aI 
(IihmI-  in  llic  nmninu'iit-chi-^t  of  M.  Tlionia-*,  in  this  city,  of  Henry  VII. 's  roinn,  whieli 
wi'iT  iiIIi'^IimI  hy  sonu'of  that  name.  I'nfortnnali'ly,  ami  thon^li  most  (lili;ront  soai'i'h  has 
lieen  niailc  alUT  them,  it  ha-*  lu'en  hitherlo  nn*u<'i)essliil," — '^  Life  of  ^^elniftthin  Vahut" 
hi/,f,  /■',  A/c/id//.",  Citij  Lihraridii,  Jtriilnl. 


i  .-;1 


iili  i 


DISCOVERY  OF  THE  ISLAXD. 


3 


of  a  lartro 

lupulse  of 

loultt   have; 

Anu'i'ii'a. 

this   <2;r('at 

tlu;  araiid- 

a'W  World 

;li  .stai'tlinu; 

of  Europe 

e  the  wou- 

s  of  which 

ivo   hearls. 

I'cnly  wcro 

IS  horii  of 

y.     Tiu're 

)1.     At  all 

I  Sebastian 

rival   ua\i- 

thouiihtful 

10  of  husi- 

rosst'd    his 

his    father 

of  Cohiin- 

red    at   an 

he  famous 

lilliau'  all 

0  two  men 

the  sul)- 

takiiiu"   a 

the  great 

only  Ikm'oiuos 
iMioc-iO,  or  was 

ill    U)>OH    llilll, 

liimscir  luiLilit 
1'  wi'ii"  several 
t  reiuii,  wiiieli 
(Mil  SL'ill'eli  lia-l 
txtian  Vuliiit," 


navigator,  which  led  him  to  San  Salvador,  they  would  di>i'i)ver 
now  lands,  and  perluqis  find  a  shorter  i)a>sage  to  the  Ca.thay  of 
]\Liri'o  Polo,  one  of  the  leading  objects  of  maritime  adventure 


in  those  romantic  dav^. 


When  the  news  of  Columbi 


discov- 


ery reached  England,  Henry  VIE  nmst  have  been  >()rely 
chagrined  to  tind  that  he  had  missed  the  proffered  honor  of 
Inning  his  name  transmitted  to  i)osterity,  as  the  patron  of  the 
illustrious  navigator,  whose  discovery  would  have  entitled  his 
^hijesty  to  be  proclaimed,  as  Spain  was,  master  of  a  new 
world  bovond  the  western  seas.  AVhen,  therefore,  fTohn  ( 'abor 
and  his  son  proi)osed  to  the  king  a  voyage  of  discovery,  from 
the  port  of  Bristol,  to  regions  far  north  of  those  which  Colinn- 
bus  was  then  exploring,  the  English  monarch  lent  a  willing  ear 
to  the  otl'er.  The  ambitious  navigators  were  speedily  i:raiited 
"  letters  patent,"  sanctioning  their  undertaking.  This  legal 
iii>1ruinent,  howevtn*,  shows  that  tlu'  parsimonious  monarch  left 
the  whole  expenses  of  the  expedition  to  bi^  borne  by  the  (abots 
and  their  Bristol  connections.'  Ijcing  competent  to  meet  >\irh 
a  li(:i\y  expenditure  is  a  proof  that  they  wen-  not  only  pos- 
soM'd  of  consii'.crable  wealth,  but  wow  ready  to  advcMiture  it 
with  ilieir  lives  for  the  glory  of  their  a<lopted  countiy. 

Marly  in  {ho  month  of  May,  14i)7,  the  Cal)ots  took  their 
departure  from  the  ])ort  ot'  Bristol,  turning  th(>  prow  ot'  their 
\e— el  to  the  iiorlli-west,  and  traversinuf  seas  before  unfui' 


rowed 


.V  !• 


urojjean  keels. 


N( 


ever,  pernai)s,  was  a  voyage  ol   <li>cov 


cr\ ,  the  consecjuences  of  which  were  so  far-reaching,  <'nlered 
U|iiiii  with  less  pom[)  and  cinaimstanee.  The  voyage  of  ('olum- 
bus  has  had  thrown  around  it  a  glamour  of  poetry  and  roi 
Ilisiory  has  carefuMv  gathered  into  her  uolden  uri 


nance 


I    evel  \-   niei- 


''I'lic  sir  I'eier 'I'iioiii-.iu  MSS.  in  the  Itritish  Miwciim  iiieiiiinn  a  tliii.l  .(in  ( 
(  aliui  ill  roiniecliiiii  Willi  llic  tii'st  exiieililion.     'J'lie  terms  of  the  eiilrvaie  ii-   full 

"Aiinii  1  l'.l,"i.  Iliiil  Kinu'  Henry  \'1I.  l-elter-i  I'atent  were  ynmleil  t.i  .Inlni  ( 
^'elli( c,  to  Lewis,  Seliastiiii 


(ISa 


il   II 


i.i  .1 


oliii,  mill  to  tliejr 


llH.t      III 
ivs    llllll 


lilt, 


ili'liiiliiS  to  sail    with  live  slii|i<  upon    Ilieir  own   iirnper  eo',t   luni   eliar;ies  t( 

ili'i'iiver,  mill  (iiul  wlialxoever  i-les,  I'lumirie^:,  reijinns,  nr  provinees  of  the  heathen  w  hieli 

helme  ihis  lim,.  imtli  |i,.,.ii  nnkimwii,  to  eaiise  to  set  up  our  ensiL;ii  there  ami  reili 


tl 


lein 


til  iiiir  Jiirisilieiioii. 


'I'hev  werii  resirieleil  to  sail  Ironi  Ihislol  ami  oiilv  to  arrive  al   that 


vovai^e  or  \o\'flL;e»  for  I  he   Ki 


poll  ("  riiie-lit'lhpiirt  of  the  net  prolits  of 

while  iilliers  were  |iriiliil)ileil  froin  ulteinpliliii'  «iieh  ili-eoveiMes  mi  fnileilnre  iil'tl 

Mini  jiiiiiU,  mill  tl,,.  liinM''s  siihjt  ets  ami  olfi 

to  the  siiiil  .liihn  Cal 


MM'"), 

leir  ships 


llllll  anil  Ins  sons  as  we| 


eeiN  were  eniMinainleil  |i 
ami  a-  on  sea. 


'  ^'IVe  e;()()i|    assblunCl) 


*,' 


NE  WFO  UN D  LAND. 


m 


W 


n 


''4' 


(lent  connected  with  the  ^reat  urlertuking,  and  eloquent  pens 
have  told  the  thrilling  story  in  every  variety  of  i)ictiires(jue 
detail.  But  of  the  voyage  of  Cahot,  fraught  with  such  vast 
eonse(juences,  we  know  almost  nothing.  No  diary  was  kept  on 
l)oard  "The  Mathew."  The  records  of  the  enterprise  which  have 
come  down  to  us  were  written  long  afterwards,  and  arc  of  the 
most  meagre  and  unsatisfactory  description,  "The  English," 
says  Carlyle,  "  are  a  dumb  people.  They  can  do  great  acts,  hut 
not  describe  them.  Like  the  old  Komans  and  some  few  others, 
their  epic  poem  is  written  on  the  earth's  surface  :  England,  her 
mark."  Without  Hourish  of  trumpets,  Cabot  and  his  English 
seamen  sailed  away  into  the  unknown  waste  of  waters.  Of  the 
dillicidties  and  hardships  which  they  encountered  in  crossing 
the  Atlantic  in  much  stormier  latitudes  than  those  through 
which  Columbus's  course  lay,  we  know  al)solutely  nothing. 
The  connnander  gave  to  the  world  but  little  account  of  what 
took  [)lace  beyond  the  bare  results  of  his  voyage.  We  do  not 
know  nmch  more  of  it  than  may  be  set  forth  in  the  laconic  rec- 
ord that  on  the  24th  day  of  flune  following  the  de})art.urc  from 
Bristol,  the  glad  cry  of  "Land  hoi  "  was  heard,  and  that  Cabot 
named  the  headland  which  he  saw,  "  Prima  Vi^ta."  A  Bristol 
nianuscri[)t,  which  has  survived  the  wrecks  of  time,  chronicles 
the  discovery  in  tli(>  following  curt  terms:  "In  the  year  141)7. 
the  24th  of  .hme,  on  St.  John's  Day,  was  Newfoundland  found 
by  lU'istol  men,  in  a  ship  called  "The  >[athew."  The  ancicMit 
historian  doi's  not  even  mention  C-abot.  Such  is  fame  among 
contemporaries!  A  now  continent  is  discovered,  and  the 
chronicK'r  of  the  day  is  careful  to  record  the  name  of  the  ship 
in  which  the  discovery  was  made,  but  of  the  commander, 
whose  genius  and  courage  directed  the  enterprise,  he  says 
nothing. 

An  interesting  in([uiry  here;  presents  itself:  What  part  of 
the  New  ^VorI(l  was  first  seen  by  Cabot,  and  namcMl  by  him 
"Prima  Vista"?  The  conunon  aci-ount  is  that  it  was  some 
part  of  the  island  of  Newfoundland,  most  ])r()bably  Bonavista, 
now  the  northern  cape  of  Trinity  Bay,  in  latitude  48'^  hO'  N., 
the  name  "Prim;i  \'ista"  having  been  afterwards  changed  to 
"  Bonavista."     In  conlirmation   of  this   view   it   is   stated    that 


:i!iiJl    !•: 


niSCOVERV  OF   THE   rSLAXD. 


5 


there  is  a  small  rocky  i.slot  called  Baccalieii  off  this  part  of 
tlie  coast,  and  that  Cahot,  according  to  Peter  Martyr,  called  the 
countries  adjacent  to  the  lishing-grounds  Bticcalaos,  from  the 
local  al)undance  of  codtish,  fen-  which  this  was  said  to  he  the 
native  term.  This,  however,  is  now  known  to  have  heen  a 
mistake.  The  aborigines  of  the  continent  called  codtish  apmic, 
while  those  of  the  island  named  them  hohboojorel.  JJaccalaos  was 
the  name  given  to  it  by  tiie  I5as(jues  long  afterwards.  In  the 
second  chapter  of  "Don  (Quixote"  the  word  occurs  in  the  fol- 
lowing sentences:  "That  day  hap,pene(l  to  be  Friday,  ami 
there  was  nothing  in  the  house  but  some  iish  of  that  kind 
which  in  Castile  is  called  i/hadexo,  in  Andalusia  baccalao,  and 
in  some  parts  curadiUo."  "The  landlord  produced  some  of 
his  ill-soaked  and  worse-cooked  huccalao."  The  old  r>as(|ue 
name  for  dried  cod  was  therefore  in  g(Mieral  use  in  the  days  of 
Cervantes.  Anollajr  account  is  that  the  land  seen  by  Cabot 
was  part  of  the  Labrador  coast,  and  that  "the  island  opposhe 
to  it,"  mentioned  in  an  inscri[)tion  on  an  old  map,  was  that 
part  of  Newfoundland  near  the  northern  end  of  tlu^  Straits  of 
lU'lle  Isle.  Tlio  doubt  and  diflerence  of  opinion  regarding  this 
point  have  aris(ui  from  tin;  imperfect  character  of  the  contem- 
])()rary  records.  Happily,  however,  for  students  of  American 
Iii>t()ry,  all  doubts  on  this  subject  have  been  removed  by  the 
(li-^coverv  a  few  years  since  of  a  map  made  by  or  under  the 
direction  of  Sebastian  Cabot,  and  bearing  the  date  of  1 ')4l.  'IMiis 
valuable  chart,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  accompanying  illustra- 
tion of  a  section  of  it,  places  the  "Prima  Vista  "  near  the  east- 
ern i)oint  of  tlu!  pr(!sent  island  of  Cape  lireton  ;  and  as  the  (iut 
of  Canso  had  not  then  been  discovered,  the  i>land  on  the  ni;i[) 
forms  a  part  of  the  jiresent  Xova  Scotia.  A>  Sebastian  ('al'di 
was  his  father's  companion  and  assistant  on  this  v()\ai:'e.  and 
was  famous  for  his  skill  in  chart-making,  this  map  nnist  be 
considered  as  the  most  trustworthy  of  the  earlier  charts  of  the 
ciKists.  It  is  probable,  from  a  letter  of  Loren/o  Paxpialio,  a 
\ Cnetian  merchant  then  residing  in  London,  which  contains 
the  best  account  extant  of  Cabot"-  Hrst  Noyage,  that  after 
passing  "Prima  \'ista,"  the  eastern  point  of  ('ajx;  Breton,  he 
steered  in  a  north-westerly  di'ection,  passecl  through  Xor- 
ihiimi)erlan(l  Strait,  round  Prince   Edward    Island    (which    is 


■I'^ 


0 


XEM'FOrXDLAXD. 


\  \n 


'  i, 


:    f 


III:  i' 


I.ii.'l  down  (piitc  correctly  in  tlu'  niiq)),  siuhtini^  the  const  near 
.Mir:ini;iclii,  then  turned  his  prow  nortli-easterly  till  he  fell  in 
with  the  Lahrndor  coast,  i)assini:[  to  tlu;  north  of  X(!wfound- 
land,  homeward  throuuh  the  Straits  of  Belle  Isle.  In  this 
map,  hy  Cahot,  Xewfounilland  is  laid  down  as  a  grou[)  of 
islands,  possihly  from  impei'fect  sii^hts  of  its  hijih  lands  ob- 
tained in  foii'ii'y  weather,  which  would  make  it  ai)[)car  to  a 
Noyau'er  a  cluster  of  islands  rather  than  a  siiiirle  one.  'I'he 
fact  remains,  however,  that  Cabot  was  the  discoverer  of  the 
island  on  his  tirst  vova<.»e ;  and  also  of  the  continent  of 
America. 

On  the  ;5d  of  February,  141)8,  the  kin<ii:  <irantcd  a  new  patent 
to  .John  Cabot,  authorizing  him  to  sail  with  six  shij)s  "to  the 
lande  and  isles  of  late  found  by  the  said  John  in  oure  nami' 
and  by  oure  conunandement"  ;  and  ordering  "all  and  evi'ry 
oure  otficers,  ministers,  and  subjects  to  succour  the  said  flohn, 
his  (h'puty,"  etc.  This  second  i)atei)t  does  not  seem  to  have 
been  designed  to  supersede  or  revoke  the  former  in  any  way, 
but  merely  to  iiave  been  a  sui)pleuientary  connnission.  John 
Calxit  did  not  go  out  on  the  second  expedition,  which  was  en- 
trusted to  Sebastian,  then  but  twcnity-three  years  of  age,  and 
who  from  this  time  took  the  ))Iace  of  his  father  as  a  discoverer. 
According  to  Peter  Martyr,  on  this  second  voyage  he  sailed 
along  the  coast  of  Labrador,  to  the  latitude  of  (50°  N.,  where 
he  s;iys  he  found  the  longi'st  day  eighteen  hours.  Deterred 
by  inunense  masses  of  Hoating  ice  and  by  the  intense  cold, 
Sebastian  turned  his  course  to  the  west,  refitted  at  the  Bacca- 
laos,  or  Codlands,  which  embraced  Newfoundland,  Xova  Scotia, 
and  Cape  lU'cton,  and  coasted  south  to  the  38th  degree,  whence 
he  returned  to  England.  Thus,  by  right  of  discovery,  this 
great  man  secured  for  Kngland  on  this  voyage  "a  claim  to 
the  whoK'  coast  of  America  from  tlu^  burning  sands  of  Florida 
to  the  ice-bound  shores  of  Hudson's  liay."  In  a  third  exi)e- 
dition  he  is  said  to  have  sailed  as  far  south  as  Cuba.  Colum- 
bus gave  to  Spain' domains  ten  times  greater  than  her  own: 
but  the  voyages  of  the  Cabots  nmst  be  ranked  as  of  e(pial 
vahu'.  as  far  as  the  interests  of  England  were  concerned, 
it  i-  curious  to  note  how  the  news  of  these  discoveries  of 


DISCOVERY  OF  TUK  IS  I, AND. 


% 


^1 


r 

3: 

I 

I 


^ 


M/i 


!■« 


» 


1,1 


r  |!:t 


II 


ii'l  i'i 


8 


xi:wrouxDLAxn. 


the  Cal)()ts  was  ivcoivcd  in  Eiiglaiid.  On  llieir  rcliini  troni 
the  first  vovauo  tiio  king  presented  John  Cabot  with  a  gra- 
tuity of  ten  pounds.  In  order  that  jjosterity  might  not  forget 
his  liherality,  he  made  an  entry  of  it  in  tlie  i)riv\'-purse  ac- 
counts in  tlic  followini'  l)rief  words:  "August  10th,  14'J7  — 
To  Ilym  that  found  tiie  New  Isle,  10/."  The  most  careful 
rc«'archcs  in  the  English  achieves  have  failed  to  bring  to 
liuhl  anv  other  oliicial  notice  of  the  discovery.  It  is  but  fair 
to  state  that,  in  purchasing  power,  ten  pounds  were  then  ecjual 
to  forty  pounds  in  our  day,  though  it  must  1)e  allowed  u  con- 
tinent was  cheap  even  at  that  figure.  In  this  confused  world 
genius  nmst  usually  l)e  content  with  other  rewards  than  fame 
or  nionev.  Wluit  renders  IIcMiry's  stinijiness  more  flagrant 
was  the  fad  that  in  the  i)atent  he  granted  to  the  CaI)ots  ho 
stii)ulated  that  the  enterprise  should  ])e  carried  out  ''  upon 
their  own  i)roper  costes  and  charges";  but  that  " the  foresaid 
John  and  his  .sonnes  and  heirs  be  bounden  of  all  the  fruites, 
gaines,  and  conniiodities  growing  of  such  navigation,  to  pay 
unto  us,  in  wares  or  money,  the  fifth  part  of  the  capitid  gaine 
so  gotton."  ' 

\(  Henry  knew  how  to  drive  a  bargain,  His  Majesty's  sub- 
jects seemed  to  have  projjerly  ai)i)reciated  Cal)ot's  services. 
An  old  letter  has  l)een  brought  to  light  in  Milan,  written  b}' 
liorenzo  Pasqualio  from  London  on  the  23d  of  August,  14U7, 
a  few  days  after  Cal)ot's  return  to  his  brothers  in  Venice,  in 
which  the  writer  says:  ''This  A'enetian  of  ours,  Avho  went  in 
a  shij)  from  Bristol,  in  (juest  of  new  islands,  is  returned,  and 
says  that  TOO  leagues  hence  he  discovered  terra  Jirma  which  is 
the  territorv  of  the  Great  Cham.  The  Kinii  is  much  i)leased 
with  this  intelligence.  He  has  also  given  him  money  where- 
with to  anuise  himself,  and  he  is  now  in  Bristol  with  his  wife, 
who  is  a  \'enetian  woman,  and   with  his  sons.     His  name  is 


•>^*H 


1  Mf-Ms.  W.  r.  l?ryaiit  ami  H.  II.  (iuy,  in  lluir  cxrolk'iit  "History  of  the  United 
Stall'-;  "  (lf<7<'),  take  a  iuoi'l'  liberal  view  of  tliii  entry  in  the  privy-pur-jc  expenses  of  the 
kiiin'  than  otiior  historians ;  and,  while  we  have  followed  the  l)caten  traek  in  this  respect, 
wo  are  ineiined  lo  lliink  there  is  nnich  ju-tico  in  llip  fipinion  that  it  is  probable  the  entry 
does  not  refer  to  Cabot  ;  but  that  "  it  is  quite  likely  llie  ICiiitr  sliould  have  sent  (U'  f^iven 
witli  bis  own  hand  sncli  a  leward  to  a  sailor  who  fimn  his  faithfnl  wiiteh  at  the  masthead 
wa-  the  fii>t  to  erv  '  I.iunl  hoi '  on  the  eoa^t  of  North  Amerieu." 


DISCO  VEUV  OF   THE  ISLAXD. 


ZiiMii  (al)<)t,  and  llicy  call  liiiu  tin-  (Jrcat  Atliuiral.  ^'ast 
hduor  is  i)ai(l  liiiii,  and  he  dro.-cs  in  silk  ;  and  these  Kn;:li>h 
run  after  him  like  mad  people,  so  that  he  can  enlist  as  many 
of  iheni  as  he  pleases." 

There  is  no  ri'eord  of  John  Cabot  after  this  period.  It  is 
])n)lia1)le  that  he  did  not  long  survive  his  llrst  famous  voyaufe. 
His  son  Seliastian  remaiue(l  for  a  numWer  of  years  in  Knuland, 
litit  at  lenii'th  he  entered  the  service  of  the  Kinir  of  Spain,  and 
wsMw  enpiired  in  maritime  discoveries.  Explorinir  the  IMatti 
and  Paraguay  rivers,  he  discovered  liraiiil.     "When  Edward  \l. 


SKBASTIAN  CABOT. 


ascended  the  throne  he  returned  to  England,  and  Avas  ajipointed 
cliief  jiilot  of  the  kingdom.  For  m.auy  ytar>  he  \va>  the  life 
.'111(1  soul  of  liritish  maritime  cuteriirise.  In  company  wiih 
others  he  llrst  opened  u^)  the  trade  with  l{u»ia.  He  died  in 
his  eiglitielh  year,  in  London,  hut  no  man  kiuius  where  his  dust 
ivpox's,  Tho  only  record  we  liav('  of  his  clo>ing  hours  is  hy 
his  friend  Ivichard  Eden,  who  tells  us  thai  when  hound  foi'  that 
cDiiiil  ry  where  there  is  "no  mon^  sea."  "  the  ruling  pas-ion "'  was 
ill  liis  ease  ''strong  in  death."'  It  would  appear  from  i^den's 
ii;irrati\-e  as  if  he  li.ad  loved  the  sea  so  well,  and  jilayed  with  it> 
\uld  waves  so  long,  that  e\en  in  his  last  moments  the  music  of 


10 


yEWFOUXDLAXlK 


ri;<i 


tho  ocean  was  in  liis  cars.  In  the  waii(lcrlni;s  of  his  levered 
fancy  ho  spoko  of  a  divine  rev(dation  to  him  of  a  new  and  infal- 
lible method  of  Hndin;^the  loniritnde,  which  he  was  not  pcnni'.tcd 
to  disclose  to  any  mortal.  The  dyinij  seaman  was  auain,  in 
iniairination,  on  his  beloved  ocean,  over  whoso  billows  his  in- 
trt'pid  youth  had  opened  :i  pathway,  and  on  whose  mysterions 
secrets  he  had  pondered  for  tlu'eescore  years.  Then  ho  enten-d 
the  quiet  haven  whcu'o  the  storms  arc  hushed  for  evermore. 

Xo    monument    has    ever    been    erected    to  })erpctuato    the 
memory  of  one  of  the  noblest  and  bravest  men  who  ever  trod 


JACQUBS   CARTIER. 


'r^. 


1    ,;,  ;K.  , 


the  deck  of  an  En<rlish  shiii.  lie  nave  a  continent  to  England ; 
and  in  all  that  wide  region  there  is  not  a  cai)e,  headland,  or 
harbor  called  by  his  name,  except  one  small  island  olf  the 
eastern  shores  of  Xowfoundland,  which,  a  few  years  ago,  by  an 
act  of  the  local  government,  exchanged  a  very  vulgar  name  for 
the  honored  one  of  Cabot's  Island.  The  navy  and  commerce 
of  EiiLdand  received  from  iiim  their  lirst  onward  impulse,  but 
no  one  can  point  to  the  few  feet  of  earth  which,  in  return  fur 
all  his  services,  England  gave  as  a  resting-i)lace  for  his  ashes. 
His  maps  and  discoveries,  never  ])ublished  to  the  world,  were 
allowed  to  sink  into   oblivion.     There   is   still  in  one  of  the 


DISCOVER}'  OF   THE  ISLAXD. 


11 


|),:\;i|('  tollciiioii-.  of  KlitiflMMil,  Ji  J><)rtralt  of  Sfl>;i>li;ili  (  ";il>()t, 
|,.;i,i,cJ.  i'oi-  IMwjird  VI.  by  Ilolhciii.  It  was  pulilishcd  some 
\c.ir--  :i.;t)  l>v  Mi'.  Nirliolls,  of  the  liristol  LiltraiT,  in  a  trilmtary 
ln'>.l,iiic  ii»  Ca'toi.  and  llic  acoouipaiiyiiig  eiiirraving  Is  a  i>aili:il 

re  li  ()ii(M-i  Iiii)  ol   i(  . 

l"(ii  aliii()-i  a  (ciiii'iv  no  attempts  wci'c  made  l»y  Kuirlislmii'ii 
lo  iiiMdW  iij)  ilic  di-rovciifs  of  their  ooiiiitrvmen  in  N'eut'ound- 
liiiic!.  'I'liey  did  iioi  eveii  >Iiare  in  tin;  harvests  of  the  local  seas. 
Tliev  w-'vv  al  ihal  time  eiiiiaired  in  a  lucrative  fishery  on  the 
coM^t^  of  Ic-elaii<l.  The  I'ovtuiiuese  were  tlu;  first  to  turn  their 
attention  to  the  northern  rej^^ions  discovered  hy  Cahot.  (ias- 
jiMid  (  ortereal  ranired  the  coast  of  North  Anu^rii-a  in  laOO,  dis- 
coNci'ed  and  named  Conception  liny  and  Portugal  ('ove,  in  Xew- 
tomxlland,  and  estahlished  the  tirst  rei^ular  fishery  on  its  shor(\s. 
Seven  years  after  Cabot's  discovery,  tlu;  tishermen  of  Xormand}', 
IJrittany.  and  flu;  I>as(Mie  Provinces  were  enuairt'd  in  the  cod 
fi-hery,  on  the  banks  and  along  the  coasts  of  Newfoundland. 
The  Ilascjue  fishermen  gave  the  nanu;  Cape  Breton  to  the  east- 
ern promontory  of  the  island,  which  afterwards  extended  to  the 
whole.  In  \')\1  forty  sail  of  Portu<ruei.e,  French,  and  Span- 
iards wiM'e  engaired  in  the  cod  fishery.  In  1527,  John  Kut,  an 
Kngli-li  captain,  wrote  a  Ustter  which  is  still  extant,  to  Ilemy 
All  I.,  from  th(!  haven  of  St.  John's,  Newfoudland,  in  which 
he  says  tliat  he  found  there  eleven  sail  of  Normans,  one;  Breton, 
inid  two  Portiiixuesi!  banjues.  In  1534,  Jac(|ues  Carti(!r,  the 
celei)ratod  French  na.vigator,  whose  enteri)rise  discovered  and 
secured  Canada  for  France,  circnuuiavigated  Newfoundland, 
explored  the  Bay  of  Chaleurs,  unfurled  the  lilies  of  Frantn;  at 
(iaspe,  and  in  a  second  voyage  ascended  the  St.  Lawrence  as 
tar  MS  Montreal.  It  was  on  this  second  voyage  that  he  and 
h'liberval,  his  assistant  in  the  enterprise,  met  in  the  harl)or  of 
St.  ffohn's.     In   1578,   according  to  Ilakluyt,'  tlui  number  of 


' 'I'lii' llakliiyt  MSS.  in  tlie  British  Museum  coiitaiu  the  followinj'' interesting  state- 

liiiiil  :  — 

"ill  iliu  yciir  ir)3G,  28tli  of  K.  lien,  the  8th,  Master  Ilore  anil  divers  otlicr  gentlemen 
i;i;i(k-  a  V()ya'.rc  to  Ncwlbundlauil  tlioir  Names  were  as  follows. 

"  M;i«ti'r  Wickes  a  Gentleman  of  tiic  West  Couutrcy  of  500  marks  t)y  the  year. 
"  M;i>ter  Tueke  a  Gentleman  of  Kent. 
"  Mu-ter  Tuekfeikl 


I' I 


12 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


:l   lii,' 


!!! 


H% 


'I 

'    1 1. 


''1, 

1 

vessels  oiii})l()yc(l  i''.  the  cod  fishery  hud  increased  to  four  liun- 
dred,  of  which  only  fifty  were  English,  the  renuiiuder  heinu' 
Frcncli  and  rfpunish. 

V\)  to  this  time  no  .itte?.upt  h  "d  heen  made  to  colonize  Xew- 
foundland  or  any  of  the  neighljo'ing  lantis.  The  hardy  fisher- 
men of  various  nationalities,  amonii'  whom  Eniilishmen  were 
now  nuich  more  numerous  than  formerly,  were  in  the  hahit  of 
frequenting  the  shores  of  the  i -land  during  the  summer,  and 
usiuii'  the  harbors  and  coves  for  the  cure  of  their  fish,  returnini: 
home  with  the  products  of  their  toils  on  the  approach  of  winter. 
Kighty-six  years  had  passed  away  since  Cabot's  discovery,  and 
\»e  now  arrive  at  the  year  1;j83,  a  memorable  date  in  the  history 
of  Newfoundland.  On  the  5th  day  of  August  in  that  year, 
there  were  lying  in  the  harbor  of  Si.  John's  thirty-six  vessels 
belonging  to  various  nations,  Portuguese,  S[)anish,  French,  an, 1 
Eniilish,  all  enii;U)Ved  in  fishiuii'.  -In  addition  to  these  there 
were  four  English  war-shi|)s,  Mhich  had  arrived  the  day  bi'fore. 
They  were  the  '  Delight,"  the  "Golden  Hind,"  the  "  Swallow," 


"Maxtor  Thomas  IJiits  t!ie  sou  of  Sir  Williu  Buts  Iviit  of  Norfolk  wch  is  yut  alivo, 
(IJS!))  iiiii!  from  wliosc  mouth  I  wrote  must  of  tliis  relatiou. 

".Mii.-UT  ilanlio 

"  iMa>tir  I'.iroii 

"'  Master  CarU'r 

"  Mailer  \V;i,i:ht 

"  Master  llastall  Serju.  '  Ilastall  Brothci- 

"  Ma>ter  liidlcv  ami  tiivcrs  others  whicli  all  were  iii  the  Aihiiiral  ealleil  llie  'I'riiiitie  a 
ghii/  iif  111)  Tons  wlu'iiii  Ma>ter  llore  liinisell'iiiihaiUeil. 

"  111  tiie  other  ship  luiiueii  the  Minion  went  Masier  Armi^ril  Wade  a  very  Icanicil 
Gentleman,  Father  to  Master  William  V.'ade  now  clerk  of  the  I'rivic  Counsell. 

"  Master  Oliver  I)awi>eney  merehaat  of  London. 

"  Ma^ti'r  Joy  afterward'  (lenllenian  of  the  Ivinu's  Chappell.  with  divers  other  nf 
p)od  aeeoiint.  Tiie  wliuli!  nnmlier  that  went  in  the  al)i.,o  two  .hips,  were  ahont  120 
persons,  wherof  80  were  ^lentlemen.  they  embarked  fiom  Graves  End  the  Knd  of  April 
iri.'iC).  In  about  two  months  sailing,'  they  fell  in  with  Cape  Breton  —  from  thence  tiny 
sailM  N.IC  to  I'en^ruin  island  weh  is  very  full  (d'  Itoekcs  and  stones  and  f^reat  Itirds  while 
and 'iii'.y  eoloiir  as  bi;f  aj  Geese,  they  took  some  of  the  iiirds  and  killeil  some  BearV. 
Ihi.Nliiml   is  in   the  l-at  of  'iii  d.     Master  Olivt'r  l)awbenev  inform'd  Alas 


Bieh; 


!li'.kluyt  the  follow;,'-  particulars,  that  after  their  arrival  in  XcwfoiP' Hand  and  haviti'.' 
heno  tliero  certain  days  at  Anchor  He  saw  a  boat  with  t:ava;fes,  rowiny:  towards  them  to 
j;a-^e  ujion  the  ship  anil  our  jjcople.  they  manned  their  ships  boat  in  order  to  have  takea 
ihcni.  but  they  lied  lo!i;i  Island  in  tlu'  Bay  and  ("-eapcd  our  men  —  they  found  a  tire  iiii'l 
u  side  of  a  Bear  on  a  Wooden  spit,  also  a  Boot  ^;arui>hed  on  the  Calf  as  it  were  wilh  raw 
silk.  uNo  u  ^reat  W  u'm  Miiten.  whilst  they  lay  there  iliey  were  in  ^rreat  want  of  pro\  i«- 
ion  and  that  there  they  found  small  reliefe.  more  than  that  '.Iiey  had  from  the  Xest  ol':iii 
Usprey  (or  l^a^Me)  that  brou^sht  liourely  to  her  Yoiin;;  ffreal  plenty  of  ilivers  Horts  of 
C.-hes.    Bui  biieh  was  the  famine  umuuijst  thcT'i  that  they  were  forced  local  raw  halu 


and  tho  " 
<V')iii  the 
oil  liore. 
then  linec 
lor  dry  in; 
tilt'  com')! 

i. 

■.■iptains  ; 
siMiiinons 
then  sto( 
bronzed  s 
ill  the  cos 
round  on 
wearing  t 
tnink-hos 
of  gciltlcl 
other  thai 
of'  I)('\'on.s 
to  read  til 


.llid  nno|«.  w 

siillii-ieiit  10  >:i 
IVlluw  killed  1 
liiidy  wI'Miu  li 
li>  lliis  ..ii';ili- 
tlieni  —  I  lie  re 

OlMlion,  C(illt;| 

llii'ui  to  repel 
I'i'iA  oil  their 
ni-hl  lliere  iir 

the   I'nlii'icol' 

^'il:llill:r  lliein 
St.  Ives  ill  (.',. 
lii'lNlijill;^-  to 
lllrii   ul"  thi'    \ 

li.'iihe,  at  r.ati 
liiin::er  and  m 
liini.  till  Ihey 
llaMiiyl  of  O 
liciii  his  iiwii 

"The  I'lv; 
■if  Ihii  iilliiir. 
Iicces,it_i  |1„.|, 
ou  h  piii'sf,  \  1. 

"Kill-  IM 
'','/  "/,/•/„/„,■,./ 

H.  storllN-  n 
!■''  'k»  I'llS." 


1  is  yet  alive, 


llic  'rriiiitio  a 


or-i  otlici'  of 
iv  al)out  I'JO 
Jliiil  of  Apiil 

llicnrc    tliiT 

It  Hinl-1  while 

OOlllO     Itl'ill'l!. 

i-Ut  ]{icii:inl 
1  iuiil  liuvin;: 
vui'ds  tliuiii  I" 

to  llllVl'  tllkcll 

uul  II  tiro  mill 
vcro  Willi  raw 

lllll   of   pi'lIN  i»- 

ic  N'o>l  ol'iin 

iVLTS    BOl'tH   111' 


FIRST  ATTEMPT  AT  SETTLEMEXT. 


13 


ami  th"  "  S(iuiiTt'l."  Earlj  on  thi '  moriiuiir  l)Oixts  were  lowered 
^vnn  tlic  Eiiirlisli  sIiIds.  juid  the  joimiiaiulers  and  officers  went 
nii  liore.  Soon  u  goodly  com:  jtmy  hud  assembled  on  the  heach, 
llicii  lined  by  a  few  rouirli  v, ooden  huts,  and  "flakes"  or  staires 
lor  drying  eod.  The  rough  inmates  of  these  huts  gathered  round 
llicconinany  that  iiad  landed  from  the  English  ships ;  and  the 
•aptaius  and  officers  of  the  other  vessels  were  there  by  8i)ec'".l 
-1  nnnons.  A  very  curious  and  motley  group  was  that  whith 
thill  stood  on  the  beach  of  St.  John's  harbor  —  swartlu', 
bronzed  sailors  and  (i>liennen  of  Spain,  Portugal,  and  France, 
ill  tlie  costumes  of  the  sixteenth  century.  Soon  a  circle  formed 
round  one  commanding  tigurc  —  a  man  of  noble  presence, 
wearing  the  richly  slashed  and  laced  doublet,  velvet  cloak, 
ti'iiiiU-hose,  and  gav  hat  and  feather  whidi  constituted  the  dress 
ot  gentlemen  in  the  days  of  (^uecn  Elizabeth.  This  was  no 
other  than  Sir  Iliuriphi'ey  C«ill)ert,  one  of  the  gallant  knights 
of  Devonshire.  lie  unrolled  a  jtarchment  scroll,  and  [jrocoeded 
to  read  the  royal  patent  authori/lng  him  to  take  i)ossession  of 


and  I'oot'i.  wliicli  tlipy  soiij,'ht  foi  on  tlio  >raiiic;  But  the  rcliet'c  oC  iicrhs  l)oini,''  not 
MilVic'ioiii  to  «ati>lio  tlioir  craviii'^  mipctitrs.  wlu'ii  in  Hie  ilc-ierls  in  scairli  of  liorhaua'.  tlic 
I'flluw  Uilli'il  lii-i  mate  wiiilc  liee  stoiipcil  to  lake  v\'  a  root,  ami  ciittiii',''  out  pcicos  of  Iiis 
jiiiily  wl'iui  lie  luul  nuii'lhcrcil,  l)roylu(l  the  Mime  om 'he  coals  aiul  frrceilily  ilevourcil  tlieni. 
Ii.\  this  ..nans  tlio  company  decrcascil,  nnil  the  otlicei'j  knew  not  wliat  was  liccomc  of 
tlu'iii  —  llu'  reason  wherof  was  at  last  iliscovcii  1.  I'pon  wliidi  the  Captain  inaile  Votahle 
Oniliiiii,  eiiiilaiiiin;,'  lii>w  iniieii  these  (lealin;.''s  cill'enileil  the  Alini^ility  ite.  Sa:.  he  evhorteil 
liirui  to  repentance  and  In 


iht  all  the  Company  to  I'ray.  that  it  niiL;ht  please  (lnil  ti. 


Ill  their  present  nii-^e 


rahlo  state,  and  such  was  the  inin-i 


le  oi 


(1,  that  the  .sainr 


iiiulit  ilii'ic  arrived  a  FreiKdi  ship  in  that  port,  well  I'urni-ihed  with  Vittailo,  and  such  was 
till'  I'lilii'ie  111' the  Eii^'li>li,  thai  thi'y  hecame  niasters  of  the  same,  and  chaii;;iii;4-  ships  mid 
N'ilaliiiuMlii'm,  they  set  saile  for  lMi;;laiid.     they  saw  ir my  Islands  of  lee  and  arrived  iit 


tl 


leiii-e  lliev  deiiar 


l.'d  t 


o  a  castle 


St.  Ives  in  Cornwall  the  latter  End  of  October.     I 

lii'.'UU'in;:  to  Sir  .Inhii  Liittiel.  where  M.  'i'homas  ISiits  and  M.  Kasiall,  and  olli(;r  (ienile- 

iiirii  111  ilic'  vova^i'e  were  very  friendly  intcrtaiu'd:   after  that  they  catne  to  the  F.arle  of 


!al!u',  111 


iathc 


d  th 


to  Uiistol,  so  to   F/ondon.      M.  lints  was  si 


I)  clian'.rcii 


with 


liiin-rr  and  misery  that  ."^ir  William  his  l''atlier  and  my  Lady  his  mother  did  not  kimw 
him.  liU  they  examined  a  Wart  he  had  iipnii  one  of  his  knees,  as  he  told  me  Itiiliard 
llal.liiyl  nfO\ford  himself  t^ 


to  v.lioin 


I  rode  'JOO  miles  to  learn  the  Truth  of  his  Vova:;e 


Imui  his  own  mouth  as  bcin-i  the  onlv  man  alive  that  was  in  this  discnvcric. 


■fhe  1' 


leiieli-mi'u  eomplaii 


I'd  to  K.  Ill 


the  Hth  in  .i  few  months  iiflm'  their 


il'iliii  iiiViiir.  and  the  Kim,'  heariiiLr  Mie  yreat  disiresso  his  sulijeets  were  In.  and  tin 


1  as  tlicv 


di 


liai 


1   tl 


e    I'rench-inen  full  I'eennipein' 


ml  of 


iii'i'i'<>ity  (here  was  to  ih 
iuMi  pui'^e.  vide  |ia  Till). 

"  Kiliy  Ivlward  the  Ci\\\  fi)r  lhi>  ijivnt  (Viil  nfCfptahh  Ri'rr'icn  ih/ic  dinl  to  /;<•  dnnf,  iiiihi  ii» 
'"/  mir  liiJnvi'l  n^■|^l^lll<l  Sflntsfidn  ('i\liot.  set  I  led  an  An  mil  lie  m-  yearly  rcNfiiiie  of  £  lliO  His, 
II.  -lerli'nr  unsaid  .Sehustiuii  Cahot.  dated  the  iirsi  of  .laimary  in  the  '.hid  year  of  his 
h'i.ii  I.'.IH." 


1 


't'^'l!; 


14 


XE  WFO  UXDLAXD. 


Xowfoiindlnnd,  on  liclmlf  of  his  royal  mistress,  and  excrciso 
jiiri.xliction  over  it  and  all  other  possessions  of  the  Crown  in  the 
same  (juarter.  Twig  and  sod  were  presented  to  him  in  feudal 
fashion,  and,  in  the  name  of  (^ueen  Elizabeth,  ho  solenndy 
annexed  the  island  to  the  British  Empire.  The  banner  of  Eng- 
land was  then  hoistetl  on  a  flagstatf,   the  ro^'al   arms,  eut  in 


Miitii, 


iMi 


^iil; 


KlU   III  .MI'llKKY    (.II.IIKUT    UKAIII.Nd    IHH   t'UMMIIj81UN. 


lead,  were  afllxed  to  a  wooden  pillar,  n(>ar  the  water's  edire,  and 
the  cercMnony  was  compleie.  The  gi-ant  gave  Sir  Ilnmphrcv 
(iilhert  jurisdiction  ibr  two  hundred  leagues  in  evi'ry  direclion, 
so  that  the  liniils  iiirluded  Nova  Scotia,  New  Hrunswii  k,  part 
of  LMt)rador,  as  well  as  the  islands  of  \ewfoiuidl;in(l,  Cape 
Breton,  and  Priiict^  I'-dward  island — ii  right  royal  principality. 
This  Sir  Iluniplin-y  ( iiHuTt .  tlr.'lirst  sett  lei' in  Xcnvfoimdiand, 
wh;i.  with  some  two  huiulreil  and  lifly  followers  iVoni  Devon- 


FIRST  ATTEMPT  AT  SETTLEMEXT. 


15 


sliiic.  had  an-ivcd  with  the  view  of  niakiiijj:  tho  Avostern  -wilcU'r- 
iios  a  hoiiic  for  Enirli'^hnicn,  was  a  son  of  Sir  Otho  (iilhcrl,  o't 
C'oiui'lou  Castk',  Torhay.  Ills  inotht-r  was  u  Chaiiipcnioiin  of 
imiot  Xoniiau  descent,  and  "  could  prol)ahly  l)oast  of  havin;^^  in 
her  veins  the  l)lo()d  of  Courtneys,  Emperors  of  Byzant."  Sir 
Oilio  had  three  sons  hy  tliis  lady,  John,  Ilumphrey,  and 
A(hian,  who  all  proved  to  he  men  of  superior  ahilities.  'i'licv 
wero  all  three  knighted  hy  Klizuheth,  a  distinction  which,  com- 


l  J 


SIR  HCMPUUET  GILBERT. 


\\\\l  iVoni  the  hands  of  the  irreat  queen,  marked  its  recipient  as 
a  p'lillcnian  and  a  hrave  warrior.  Sir  Otho  die(l,  and  his 
widow  niai'i'ii'd  AVaUer  Jvaleigh,  a  gentleman  of  ancient  Mood, 
hut  impoverished,  and  at  the  tinier  li\ing  at  Hayes,  a  farm  in 
i1h'  parish  of  East  Badleigh,  Devonshire.  To  her  second  hus- 
haiid  the  fair  Champernoun  Itorea  son  whose  fame  was  destined 
'o  ie  world-wide;  and  who,  in  a  period  more  prolilio  of  great 
11. If.  and  ureat  ^.-vcnts  than  anv  before  or  since,  i)lav<'d  a  ir-'d- 
laiit    part,   and   was  also  knighted,  as  Sir  AValti'r  Kalcigh,  l>y 


ft 


^¥ 


1 


IG 


XE  WFOUXDLAXD. 


)l;: 


I  "I 


:  I 


(^iicen  Eliz!il)eth.  Not  many  woiikmi  could  boast  of  beiui;  the 
niothor  of  four  such  sons.  Thus,  Sir  Humphrey  Gilhcnt  aiul 
Sir  Walter  Raleii«;h  were  lialf-hrolhcu's.  I'ah'iiih  was  hrouufht 
up  at  the  fiirnihousc  of  Hayes,  while  Gilbert  and  his  two 
l)rothers  lived  in  Conipton  Castle,  near  TorI)ay,  and  were 
trained  in  the  sinii)le  and  manly  yet  hii>h-bred  ways  of  En^l"  h 
•.'enllemen.  When  numi)hrey  (Gilbert  grew  u[)  he  embraced  the 
profession  of  arms,  and  won  high  distinction  in  continental  and 
Irish  wars.  At  length,  in  his  matui-e  manhood,  he  and  his  distin- 
guished half-brolher.  Sir  ^^'aitl'r  Raleigh,  formed  the  design  of 
(irsl  colonizing  Newfoundland,  and  then  the  neighboring  islands 
and  continent.  Hence  we  hnd  him  on  the  r)th  of  Auuust,  15(88, 
standing  on  tlu;  beach  in  the  harbor  of  St.  John's.  Sir  Walter 
llaleigh  had  embarked  on  the  same  expedition,  but  a  contagious 
disease  bi'oke  out  on  board  his  ship  which  compelled  his  return. 
The  enterprise  of  Sir  Huin[)hrey  Gilbert  was  worthy  of  a 
heroic  and  patriotic  iKjbieman.  It  was,  nevertheless,  doomed  to 
end  in  disaster  and  death.  In  [)rosecuting  further  ex})lorations 
one  of  Sir  Humi»hrey"s  vessels  was  wrecked  smd  the  whole 
crew   perished.     The    little  licet  had  struggled   with  contrary 


WUIil 


man 


y  <^!'.y 


1' 


ventua 


lly  tl 


Deliii'ht,"  the  larijest 


vessel,  drifted  into  the  breakers  on  a  lee  shore  and  struck  u[)on 
the  rocks.  She  went  I'apidly  to  pieces.  Seventeen  of  the 
crew  got  into  the  long-boat,  and,  after  s(>ven  (hiys,  lifteen  of 
them  ri>ached  i)()rt.  \\\\\  the  captain,  ^forris  r>rowne,  refused 
to  h'ave  the  ship.  "  Mounting  upon  the  highest  deck,"  says  tli(> 
ancient  chronicler,  "he  attended  innninent  death  so  uiiavoid- 
alile."  The  other  vessels  stood  out  to  sea  and  saved  them- 
As  winter  was  approaching  and  provisions  getting  low. 
Sii-  Humphrey  deemed  it  wis(!  to  steer  for  England.  He  had 
planle<l  his  Hag  on  board  the  "  Siiuirrel,"  a  little  cockleshell  of 
ten  tons,  and   thouiih  earnestly  entr(>ated  to   l;-o   on  board  tlie 


selves. 


arii'cr  vesst 


)rave    conu'ades 


■I,  t 
U 


H! 


'Golden  Hind,"  he  refused  to  abandon  hi- 
A  great  stoi'm  overtook  them  near  tiic 
Azores.  The  "Golden  Hind"  kept  as  near  the  "  Sipiirrel"  as  ))os- 
sihje,  and  when  in  the  midst  of  the  tempest  the  crew  saw  tlie 
■Gallant  knight  sitting  calmly  on  deck  with  a  book  belore  him. 
They  lieai'd  him  cry  to  his  companions,   "Cheer  up,  lads,  we 


l.::f     . 


rnisr  ArrKMrr  at  si:tti.i:mi:xt. 


arc  as  near  heaven  at    sea  as  on  land  I  "      When  the  curtain  ol' 
niirht  shrouded  tlie  litth'  l)ark,  sht^  and  her  pd'.ant  crew  di-a[>- 
I  I  J.     |H       jx'.ircd  l)en(>ath   the   dark    hiUows  ot"  the   Allan'.ic.      Thus   pcr- 


i-!ic.l 


^ir  Humphrey  (Jilhert,  scliolar,  s,)hlier,  (•()h)ni/,er,  [ihi! 


(;[)l:er;   one  of  the  nohh'>t  of  tho,-e  hi'avt;  hearts  thai  .--ouuht  It 
extend  the  dominion  of  I'hiLiiand  in  tiu!  Xew  ^\'()i•ld. 


\VUl:(  K   UV    THE     "  DKLIi.lll'. 


To  Xcwfoundhmd   this   ,-ad   ht:-s   \va>    irrepiirahh".      Had   Sir 
Ihimphi'cv  lived  to   reach   h  i!;ic,   no  doulii    he  and  Sir  \\  aher 


rl.->  at  coliuiizat  ion  ;   am 


Kaleiii'li  would   ha\(>  renewed  liieir  cll'i 

|iriiliiinu' l>y  |)a>t  error>,  would   lia\c  seiiled   in   tlie   inland  men 

of  ill'  I'iu'hl  stamj).     Sir   Iluinphrey  (ilHiert's    failure   was  the 


rcMi 


1    of  a   >uccc>>ii)n   ol'  uncontrollalile  di>a-ler-.       I''nll\' a|i- 
pri'ciatiiiL;'  tlic  inmicn>e  \al;ie  ol'  llic  li>lierie.>  of  New  Innndland, 


I 


18 


NE  WFO  UXDLA  XD. 


\  --ii 


he  soGins  to  have  been  thoroughly  impressed  with  the  ideu  that 
the  right  way  of  prosecuting  those  fisheries  was  to  colonize  the 
country,  and  conduct  then.i  on  the  s[)()t,  wherel)y  he  would 
hav»'  estahlished  a  resident  population,  who  wouhl  have  coni- 
])ined  h-siiing  with  the  cuUivation  of  the  soil.  It  was  a  depart- 
ure from  this  policy,  and  a  determination,  at  the  l)ehest  of 
S(!ltish  mono})oiists,  to  mai<e  the  island  a  mere  fishing  station, 
that  postponed  for  many  weary  years  the  prosperity  of  the; 
colony,  hiighting  the  national  enterprise,  and  paralyzing  the 
energies  of  the  people. 


^|,if 


EARLY  STRUGGLES   IX  PEACE  AXD    WAR. 


HI 


CHAPTER   II. 

EARLY   STRlGGLES   IN   PEACE   AND   WAR. 

[1583-1097.] 

Famous  adventures  on  sea  am]  land  —  Raleigh  and  Drake  —  Lord  Racnn 
declares  the  Fislieries  to  be  "  more  valuable  than  all  the  mines  of  I'eni  "  — 
"  Wliitbourne's  Discourse  and  Discovery  of  Newfoundland  "  —  Lord  Balti- 
more's settlement —  Curious  asioeiation  of  a  myth  of  the  Middle  A^^t's  with 
the  New  World  —  Sir  David  Kirke  cdears  the  Frepch  out  of  Newfoundland 
and  eaiitnres  Quebec  —  "  Settlin;,'"  under  difficulties — Barbaric  laws  — 
Strvj^gles  between  the  resident  and  floating  populations  —  French  and  Brit- 
ish vlvalry  —  "  Between  two  fires." 

UxDKTEiujEi)  by  Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert's  disaster,  the  iiidDiui- 
tiiblc  Kuleiixh  (who  had  only  been  prevented  from  sharing  in 
his  expedition  by  a  conta_<rious  disease  whieh  broke  out  on 
board  his  ship  and  c()m[)clled  his  return)  was  soon  at  work 
with  fresh  undertakings.'  In  l.')'S4  he  obtained  a  i)atent  fi-om 
Queen  Elizabeth  very  similar  to  that  whieh  had  l)een  (rranted 
to  Ciill)crt,  and,  having  tilted  out  two  ships,  ho  sailed  for  North 
Anieriea,  where  lie  planted  a  colony,  e;dled  Virginia,  jifler  the 
maiden  (jiuK'n.  Some  twenty-five  years  afterwtirds  the  Pilgrim 
Fathers  landed  on  I'lymouth  Ivoek,  and  laid  the  foimdation  of 
the  New  England  States.  Thus  was  the  work  of  coloni/nlion, 
hegim  by  Sir  Ilmnphrey  Gilbert,  energetieally  carried  fitrward 
hy  those  who  followed  in  his  footstei^s.  Massachusetts,  ,M;iiy- 
land,  the  Carolinas,  Peimsylvania,  \ew  IIamp>hire,  and  Maine 
followed  in  duo  lime  its  seals  of  colonization.  Let  us  see, 
meanwhile,  how  Fortune  dealt  with  Newfoundland. 

For  twenty-seven  years  tit'ter  the  lailure  of  the  Gilbert  ex- 
pedition no  fresh  attem[)t  was  made  to  establish  a  colony  in  the 
i>l;uid.     During  this  intervid  tishermen  of  various  uiitionalilies 


'    lU 


'  Sfrmon  hy  Canon  Farrar  on  unveiling  the  Ralfigh  window, prenented  to  St,  Munjnrft'n, 
\V'.\tiniiiKti-r,hii  American  dti^inn,  May  14,  ISS'J. 


m 


20 


XE  WTO  UXDLAXD. 


':5  '^^M 


contimu'd  to  iVcrjuoiit  its  slioros,  attracted  by  the  finny  treasure.- 
of  its  surrouMclini;  seas.  In  l').S4  the  bold  sea-rover,  Sir 
Francis  Drake,  was  desi)atelied  with  a  small  squadron  to  Xew- 
1<iuii<lland,  where  he  ina<le  pri/es  ot"  a  numher  of  PortuiTuese 
^■esscls  laden  with  lish  and  oil,  and  carried  them  to  Kni^land. 
The  att(!ntion  of  Knuli>h  adventurers  in  connection  with  the 
li-^heri.'s  was  once  more  directed  to  the  island.  There  is  a 
record  of  one,  Kichai'd  Stranu'.  of  A[isham,  who,  in  15!)H,  fitted 
out  two  vess(«ls  to,-  the  purpose  of  takinii'  walruses  on  the  south- 
west coast,  where  at  tl';it  time  these  animals  were  met  with  in 
areal  numbers,  tliouui)  they  have  long  sinci;  disappeared.  In 
l.')U7,  or  exactly  the  centenary  of  Cabot's  discovery,  we  find 
som(>  London  nicrdiants  <ittin;2:  out  two  armed  vessels,  which, 
after  lishing  for  a'.vhil(>  ..a  the  I>anks,  arrived  at  the  island  of 
Kamea,  on  the  southern  shore.  Encountering  here  several 
Frc  :i;'!i  and  Spanish  vessels,  tliey  fought  and  took  them,  and 
ciirrie  I  one  of  them  to  (Iravesend  with  a  valuabl(>  car-jo  of  ti>h 
and  oil,  (Jne  of  the  English  vessels  was  wrecked  oil'  Cape 
Uret  ;);i. 

While  England  was  laying  the  foundations  of  the  New 
England  colonies,  France  was  extending  her  sovereignty  over 
Canada,  together  with  the  sea-bordering  countries  of  Acadia 
(  Xova  Scotia)  and  Cape  Ureton.  Newfoundland,  lying  in  the 
inmuMliat^e  track  of  these  French  ))ossessi()ns,  and  being  the 
llrst  land  usually  seen  by  vessels  sailing  thither,  \('ry  early 
titlracted  the  attention  of  the  French,  who  made  many  attempt- 
to  plant  settlemculs  on  its  shores,  althouu'h  the  sovereijxntv  of 
the  i>lai'd  rightfully  bel-Miged  to  iircat  liritain.  The  French 
were  aeti\('ly  engaged  in  the  ])i'osi>eution  of  th'>  fisheries  in  the 
neiuhborinu'  seas.  Tlu'ir  sucee-v<  in  this  diroction  stiejiffthened 
their  desire  to  gam  possession  of  Newfoundland.  Hence  it  i  • 
thai  in  the  history  of  the  coiuitry  France  has  always  been  an 
i;ni)()rtant  factor.  Having  from  time  to  time  held  possession  of 
\  arious  points  of  the  land,  England's  persistent  rival  in  these 
1  it  it  udes  has  uiven  names  to  inanv  towns,  villaifes,  creeks,  tnid 
hailxirs.  To  this  day  Newfoundland  has  n(>t  completely  ^hakell 
oil'  I-'t'eneh  innuenci>,  :.s  by  virtue  of  ancient  treaties  they  still 
ei'Joy  eeit;;in    lishery  rii'iits    on    j)a"t    of   its    shores.       French 


EAR  I.  V  ST  lire.  CLE 


'.ACE  ASl)    WAR 


•oloiii/atiou  ill  >  o 


•111  A 


nicnci 


l)e<r 


ran  111  tlK' 


(.!'  Yx, 


I. 


who  jravc  :i  c'()iniiii.-?si()ii  to  Ivolx-rval.  Sully,  llic  .".IiU'  inliiistrr 
of  Ilciuy  IV.,  .'aw  the  athaiitaurcs  likely  t<i  flow  from  coloni/;- 
inu'  Canada,  and  he  ronoued  IJohcrvar-^  coimnission  in  favor  of 
llu!  !Mar<iui.s  dc  la  Koche,  who  was  jippointcMl  tlio  kinu''>  lici;- 
tfiiant-ifi'iicral  in  (\ma<la,  Newfoundland,  T^ahrador,  and  ih 
Diiv  and  Kiver  o 


)f  St.  L 


iiwrence 


After  him  eame  ("hau\' 


HI  ai, 


Chain[)lain,  who,  in  lUOS,  fjunded  Quebee,  the;  capital  of"  Xe' 
Franee."' 


W.'.LTIlll    llAl.Kli;II. 


Two  years  later,  in  1<U(),  another  attem}it  w;is  made  to  plant 
a  colony  of  Knu'li>hnien  in  New  I'oundland.  dohn  (iuy,  a  luei- 
cliaiit,  and  afterwards  mayor  ol"  l5ri>tol,  pu!ilished  in  Itinn  ji 
jiamphlet  on  the  {id\  antau'cs  which  woiilil  re-nil  to  Kni:la;id 
tVoiii  ihe  ostal)lislnnent  of  a  colony  in  the  islnnd.  'I'his  puMi- 
calioii  made  such  a  dee[)  impres-ion  on  the  piiMic  mind  that  a 
company  was  formed  to  carry  out  the  enlerpri>e  it  suiiu'('>ted. 
The  most  illustrious  name  on  tlii'  roll  was  that  of  Lord  liacoti, 
the  apostle  of  experimental  philosophy,  of  whom  Maeaulay 
>;ivs.  "turn  wlun'c  von  N\ill.  th<'  trophies  of  his  miirhtv  intellect 
ail'  In  view."     The  importance  i»i'  Xewfoundlaiid,  as  a  site  for 


22 


XE  WFO  UXD  L  A  ND. 


an  English  colony,  did  not  escape  the  Avide-ran<ring  eye  of 
IJacon.  He  prononnced  its  fisheries  "more  vahiable  than  all 
the  mines  of  Peru,"  a  judirment  which  time  lias  ami)ly  verified. 
With  I>acon  there  were  associated  in  this  enterprise  the  Karl 
of  S()utli;uni)ton  (Lord  Keei)er),  Sir  Daniel  Doun,  Sir  Percival 
A\'illouL''hl)y,  and  a  mimber  of  other  noblemen  and  gentlemen. 
'J'o  thi>  company  James  I.,  by  letters  })atent  dated  April,  IGK), 
made  a  iri'snit  of  all  the  part  of  Xewfoundland  which  lies  be- 
Iwcen  Cape  Uonavista  in  the  north  and  Cape  St.  Mary.  ]Mr. 
(hiy  was  appointed  irovernor,  and  with  a  number  of  colonists 
he  landed  at  ]Mos(juito  IIarl)or,  on  the  north  side  of  Conception 
Bay,  where  he  proceeded  to  erect  huts.  He  behaved  with  so 
nmch  kindness  to  the  aborigines  as  to  completely  gain  their 
conhdcnce.  We  have  no  authentic  account  of  the  progress  of 
this  settlement,  begun  under  such  favorable  auspices,  but  it 
pi'oved  unsuccessful  from  some  unexplained  cause.  Gu}'  and 
a  number  of  the  settlers  returned  to  England,  the  rest  remain- 
ing to  settle  elsewhere  in  the  New  World. 

Five  years  afterwards,  in  U?!.'),  Cai)tain  Richard  Whitbourne, 
mariner,  of  Exmouth,  Devonshire,  received  a  connnission  from 
the  Admiralty  of  England  to  proceed  to  Xewfoundland  for  the 
purpose  of  establishing  order  among  the  fishing  population  and 
remedying  certain  abuses  Avhich  had  grown  up.  Such  an  aj)- 
poiiitment  clearly  indicates  that  the  trade  and  fisheries  had  now 
fallen  cl)iefly  into  the  hands  of  the  English,  as  the  Admiralty 
would  not  take  cognizance  of  abuses  and  crimes  committed  by 
the  subjects  of  another  king.  On  his  arrival  in  St.  .John's. 
Captain  Whitbourne  held  a  Court  of  Admiralty,  and  received 
the  coujijlaints  of  one  hundred  and  seventy  masters  of  English 
vessels  of  injuries  connnitted  in  trade  and  navigation.  This 
furnishes  trustworthy  evidence  of  the  flourishing  state  of  the 
r^nglish  cod-tishery  at  this  early  }>eriod.  It  was  shown  that 
there  were  upwards  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  English  vessels, 
having  a  tonnage  of  fifteen  hundred  tons,  engaged  in  the  fish- 
eries along  the  coast.  Fixed  habitations  extended  ut  intervals 
along  the  shore  from  St.  John's  to  Cape  Race.  Paths  cut 
through  the  woods  enable<l  the  people  to  connnunicate  with  the 
harl»or  of  St.  John's,  where  vessels  from  England  su[)i)lied  the 


EARLY  STRUGGLES   IN  PEACE  AND    WAR. 


people  with  provisions  and  other  necessaries  in  exchange  for  the 
pr()(hicc  of  the  fisheries. 

Captain  Whitbourne  is  a  noteworthy  character  in  English 
niaritinie  histor}'.  He  w'as  one  of  the  race  of  seamen  who, 
in  the  (lays  of  I^Hzabeth  and  James,  hiid  the  founchition  of 
KiiLiIand's  naval  sui)reniacy,  and  opened  a  way  to  those  distant 
lands  which  are  now  the  hap[)}  homes  of  millions  of  men  and 
woiuen  of  English  descent.  A  brave  man,  he  was  jnst  as  ready 
anil  willing  to  tight  as  to  sail  a  shii).  When  the  Spanish  Ar- 
mada invaded  Emrland,  he  fitted  out  a  vessel  for  the  defence  of 
Ills  native  land  at  his  own  cost.  He  was  one  of  Elizabeth's  gal- 
lant ))and  of  Devon  captains  who  dashed  out  of  Torba}'  into  the 
very  midst  of  the  Spanish  galleons  as  they  [)assed.  He  had 
spent  forty  years  in  trading  to  Xewfoundland,  and  had  formed 
an  almost  romantic  attachment  to  the  country.  He  was  present 
at  St.  John's  when  Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert  took  })ossession  of  the 
island  on  behalf  of  his  sovereign.  Having  done  what  he  could 
during  the  active  part  of  his  life  to  promote  its  interests,  on  his 
return  to  En<rland,  in  his  advanced  years,  he  wrote  an  account 
of  the  country,  entitled,  "A  Discourse  and  Discovery  of  Xew- 
Inniidland,"'  with  the  view  of  inducing  Englishmen  to  settle 
there.  The  shrewdness,  honesty,  and  good  sense  of  the  writer 
are  apparent  on  every  page  of  this  book.  He  was  almost  the 
lirst  to  say  a  kind  word  for  Newfoundland,  and  to  make  known 
to  Englishmen  the  natural  capal)ilities  of  the  island.  His  l»()()k 
made  a'  great  im})ression  at  the  time,  and  gave  a  strong  impulse 
in  lavor  of  settling  in  the  country  and  working  its  fisluu-ies  by 
means  of  a  resident  population.  So  highly  did  King  .lames 
thiid;  of  the  volume  that  he  ord(>red  a  coi)y  to  be  sent  to  every 
iiai'ish  in  the  kinijrdom.  The  Archbishops  of  Canterbui-v  and 
York  issued  a  letter  reconnnending  it,  with  the  view  of  encour- 
agiiiir  emigration  to  Newfoundland.  Thus  two  hundred  and 
sixty  years  ago,  Newfoundland  was  a  name  on  the  lips  of 
Kiiglishmen.  The  island  loomed  large  and  important  in  the 
eyes  of  statesmen.  AVhitbourne,  in  his  little  book,  told  the 
people  of  his  day,  very  truly,  that  the  soil  of  Newfoundland 
would  grow  abundantly  "  corn,  cabbage,  carrots,  turnips,  h.'t- 
tuee,  and  such  like,"  when  cultivated,  and  that  it  yielded  spon- 


.   (I 


^4% 


■■■  'i  I 


'l;1 


24 


XF.WFOf'XnLAXD. 


titiicouslv  "  fair  stniwlxTi-ics  aiid  ras|>I)oiTies,  and  iiianv  odicr 
(IcIicMic  hcrrii's,"  in  irrctit  aluiiidaiic'e.  lie  t'urtlicr  told  thi-iii 
ol'  till'  iiiini('iis(!  herds  ot"  deer  that  roamed  over  its  hills  and 
valleys;  ot'  hares,  heavers,  tbxos,  otters,  hears;  of  i)lmni)  [)ai- 
tridu'es  and  wild  jici'se  and  dueks  ;  hut  ahovc  all  of  the  "  pen- 
;iiiin.'"  as  hiu'  as  a  goose,  \vhi«'h,  in  vast  tloeks,  covered  many  of 
the  small  islands  and  weri'  met  with  in  larire  numher.s  as  far  out 
as  the  r>anks.  The  last  reference  is  to  the  "  <:reat  auk,"  now 
numliered  among'  tlu;  extinct  birds,  but  in  Whitbourni*"s  day  it 
abounded  in  the;  Newfoundland  waters.  For  the  last  eighty 
N'cars  not  a  sinu'le  six'cimcu  of  the  ureat  auk  has  been  seen,  and 
there  are  but  a  few  skeletons  of  this  singular  bird  in  all  the- 
museums  of  the  world.  Of  the  abundance  and  excellence  of 
the  fish  Whitbourno  ^vr()te  in  ra{)tur()us  terms  ;  and  then,  waxing 
cntiiusiastic,  he  asks  :  "  What  can  the  world  yield  to  the  su>ten- 
tation  of  man  which  is  not  to  bo  <;otten  here?  Desire  \u\\ 
wholesome  air,  the  very  tbod  of  life?  It  is  there.  Shall  any 
land  [)our  in  abundant  hea[)s  of  nourishments  and  necessaries 
lieforeyou?  There  you  have  them.  Wluit  seas  so  abounding 
with  (ish?  What  shores  so  rei)U!)iished  with  fresh  and  sweet 
waters?  How  nnu-h  is  S|)ain,  France,  Portugal,  Italy,  and 
other  places  l)eh()lding  to  this  noble  [)art  of  the  world  Wtv  tisli 
and  other  commodities!  Let  the  Dutch  report  what  sweetni'ss 
they  have  sucked  from  thence  by  trade.  The  voices  of  them 
are  as  trumi)ets  loud  enough  to  make  England  fall  more  in  love 
with  such  a  .sisterland.  1  am  loath  to  weary  thee,  good  rea(Un', 
in  ac<|uainting  thee  of  those*  famous,  fair,  and  prolitaI)l(!  rivers: 
and  likewise  those  delightful,  large,  and  inestimaVde  woods  :  and 
also  with  those  fruitful  and  enticing  hills  and  delightful  \ailcy-. 
there  to  hav/k  and  hunt,  where  is  neither  savage  peoi)Ie  nor  ra\- 
enous  beasts  to  hindi'r  their  sports."  '     The  otlicial  circulation  oi" 


'  It  is  ouly  iliirinpf  recent  j-c:irs  tliat  a  <renloL''ie!il  survey  of  the  island  has  been  made ; 
tinil  it  is  as  curious  as  it  is  satist'actiiry  to  know  that  seientitic  investijialimi  lias  Mil)>laii- 
tialiy  demonstrated  the  trnlli  of  Whilhouriie's  re|MV<en\ations  in  re;^'ai'd  to  the  natural 
resources  of  the  country,  which  he  i;ave  to  the  world  two  hundred  anil  sixty  vi'ar-;  »!"■ 
Only  of  late  have  people  been  convinced  tliat  liie  island  contains  fertile  lieit^,  iiolilc  pine- 
foi\-.ts,  e\len-iive  coal-lields,  and  va~l  niiueral  trea-iire-.  To  taUe  a  sin;:lc  e\anipli',  it  \v;i- 
not  till  1S71,  when  Mr.  M^irray,  the  director  of  the  {I'colojrical  survey,  made  il  knnwii  ihal 
the  valley  throujrh  which  llows  i-he  lar;;est  river  in  tiie  country,  the  Exploits,  i~  eapahle  if 
niai:ii;iinin;,'  in  comfort  a  populaiion  of  si'vcnty  thousand,     lie  doscrihcs  it  as  hein^'  sev- 


ly  oIIk'V 
lid  tlu'iii 
lills  jiiid 
imp  i):ir- 

ic    "  IX'll- 

luany  ol" 
s  i":ir  out 
k."  now 
:'.s  (liiy  it 
t  cii^hty 
fon,  and 
1  all  the 
Umu'c  Ol" 
,  waxiiiij,' 

.'  SU>t('!l- 

sii'o  you 

hall  any 

ecssaric^ 

jouiidini:' 

id  ^wrct 

aly.   and 

lor  lish 

wcctiU'ss 

of  tlu'Ui 

in  love 

rcador, 

rivers  : 

ds  :   and 

valley-. 

nor  rav- 

atii)n  of 


icc'ii  innilc; 
II-  Mil)>l:iii- 
tlic  iiiUiirul 
vein's  11^11. 
iiiilili'  piiio- 
lllplc,  il  \v;l- 
kiiiiwn  lliiit 

•  r;i|i;llllo  nt' 
leillLT    »L'V- 


EARLY  F^TRUGGLEFi   IX  PEACl-:  AXf)    WAR. 


2:* 


Wliitl)oiirne 


book 


V  made  a  deep  inipres.-^ion  on  tlie  puhlie  mi 


th 


d>li 


nid 
nir 


ill  Kiiirland.  and  [)i-ohal)ly  led  to  the  next  attcMiipt  at  coloni/i 
the  island. 

A  year  aftef  the  departure  of  Whithourne,  in  1(»2.').  by  far 
the  most  skilfully -organized  effort  to  carry  out  the-  settlement 
of  Xewfonndland  was  made,  under  the  iruidanee  of  Sir  (icoriic 
('aIv(Mt.  afterwards  Lord  Pjaltiniore.  He  wa.sa  Koman  v.'atholie 
"•(■ntleman  of  Yorkshire,  edueated  at  Oxford,  and  for  manv 
years    a    representative    of  his    native    county    in    Parliament. 


Advanced  to    the   honors  of   knighthood  under  Jai 


ne 


I.,    h 


discharired  the  duties  of  one  of  the  Secretaries  of  State  with 
universal  approval.  Ilis  {capacity  for  business,  his  industry 
and  fidelity,  are  aeknowledired  by  all  tlu;  historians  of  the 
period.  He  shared  lari^cly  the  pojjular  enthusiasm  of  his  coun- 
trymen in  favor  of  '' i)lantations"  in  America,  and  when  Secre- 
tary of  State  he  obtained  il  patent  conveyinu:  to  him  tlu!  lordship 
of  the  whole  southern  peninsula  of  Xewfoundland,  toi^ether  with 
all  the  islands  lying  within  ten  leairues  of  the  eastern  shores,  as 
well  as  the  ri^ht  of  iishini'  in  the  surroundinu'  waters,  all 
EiiLilish  subj(.'cts  having,  as  before,  free  liberty  of  (i>hing. 
Ueiiig  a  Koman  Catholic,  Lord  IJaltimoro  liad  in  view  to  pro- 
vide an  asylum  for  his  co-religionists  who  were  sullerers  from 
the  intolerant  si>irit  of  the  times.  The  inuneiise  tract  thus 
irranted  to  him  extended  from  Trinity  Bay  to  Placcmtia,  and 
was  named  by  jiim  Avalon,  from  the  ancient  name  of  (llaston- 
hiuy.  where,  it  is  believed,  Christianity  was  first  preached  in 
Ihitain.  It  is  curious  to  find  in  Xewfoundland  a  trace  of  one  of 
the  myths  of  the  ^Middle  Ages.  The  tradition  ran  that  Josei)h 
nf  Arimathica  took  refuge  in  liritain  from  the  persecution  of  the 
•^v\\>,  carrying  with  him  the  Holy  Grail,  '' th(^  <up,  the  cup 
itself,  from  wliicl-  our  Lord  draidc  at  the  last  sad  sui)per  with 
his  own,"  and  that  ho  arrived  at  Avalon,  afterwards  Glaston- 
hury,  in  Somersetshire,  and  there  founded  a  church,  on  the 
site  of  which  the  great  abbey  of  St.  Albans  was  subsiMpiently 

^'I'ly  mill's  il)  len^rtli,  uiul  IVoiu  two  to  ten  miles  in  liremlth;  almost  free  from  s\v:iin|H  anil 
l)iiiii((ers,  liiivinLC  forests  of  pine,  liiicli,  anil  (ir  of  the  best  (inality,  its  soil,  in  nio>l  places, 
lit'inu:  eiiual  to  the  licst  of  Lower  Can.ula.  Mi'.  Murray  may  I)e  said  to  liave  discovered 
tlii-^  (iiie  valley,  ihroii'^'ii  which  the  railway  from  St  John's  to  Hall's  liay  is  to  |ia<s;  for 
irLviuiis  to  his  deseriinion  of  it  uo  one  knew  or  eared  uuythiiii,'  al)oiit  iti  capabilities. 


'il'! 

i 

H 


'*■  i'-:! 


iii 


4 


2G 


.Vy;  M'FO  UXDI.AXD. 


erected.  Here  stood  tlu;  aiu-ieiit  lioman  town  of  Vcrulam.  To 
perpetuate  tlie  memory  of  these  traditionary  events  in  the  New 
Work],  Lord  Baltimore  called  his  Xewfoundland  ])rovlnce 
Avalon  and  his  first  s(>ttlement  .  ■rulam.  The  latter  name,  in 
course  of  time,  l)ecame  corrupted  into  Ferulam,  and  then  into 
the  modern  Fcrryland.  At  this  spot,  on  the  eastern  coast  of 
Newfoundland,  ai)out  forty  miles  north  of  Cajjc  Kace,  Lord 
Baltimore  j)lanted  his  colony,  and  built  a  iiohle  mansion,  in 
■whicii  he  resided  Avith  his  famil}'  durinjjj  many  years.  lie  also 
erected  u  fort  for  the  i)i-otecti()n  of  the  settleis.     The  utmost 


>  \'^ 


JAMES 


can^  Avas  taken  in  selctiui.;'  emiirrants,  and  in  promoting  amonj: 
tlieiii  habits  of  economy  and  industry.  Xo  expense  was 
.spared,  £J)(),0()0  —  a  Iarj:e  sum  in  those  days  —  being  spent  in  the 
settlement.  But  the  high  expectations  thus  awakened  were 
d  M)me(l  to  disappointment.  T!io  soil  around  Fcrryland  was 
unfavorable  for  cultivation,  and  the  setllenient  ',vas  incessantly 
ha  asscd  by  the  atuu-ks  of  the  French,  who  had  now  obtained  a 
fo(»ting  at  sevi'ral  jjoi.its  in  Newfoundland.  Lord  BaItimor(>,  at 
length  wt'ai'ied  out  by  the.^-e  adverse  circumstances,  '[uittcd  the 
shores  of  lh(>  island,  and  reluiiieil  to  I'Jiglaud.  lie  speedily 
()blain<>(l  from  King  Charles  a  grant  which  led  to  the  coloniza- 
tion (>f  Maryland,  where  he  founded  the  cit\-  of  Haltinujre.     The 


EARLY  STRTTGGLES  IN  PEACE  AXD    WAR. 


27 


charter  of  tills  now  colony,  dniwn  up  by  himself,  slio»vod  that 
in  wisdom,  liberality,  and  statesmanship  he  was  far  ahead  of  his 
aire.  The  Catholic  Lord  Baltimore  was  the  tirst  to  establish  in 
Maryland  a  constitution  which  embodied  the  princij)le  of  com- 
plete liberty  of  conscience  and  the  equality  of  all  Christian 
>('i'ts,  together  with  popular  institutions  on  the  broad  l)asis 
of  freedom.  What  is  more,  the  colony  actually  did  adhere 
strictly  to  these  professed  i)rinciples. 

Soon  after  the  departure  of  Lord  Baltimore,  Viscount 
Falkland,  Lord-Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  hoi)in_ii:  to  permanently 
iiurcase  the  scanty  p^-})ulati<)n  of  Newfoundland,  sent  out  a 
miinber  of  emigrants  from  that  country.  At  a  later  date,  these 
\vere  so  lariTcly  reinforced  by  settlers  from  Ireland  that  the 
Celtic  part  of  the  i)o})ulation  at  this  day  is  not  far  short  of 
('(|iiality  in  numbers  with  the  Saxon  jiortion.  In  1()38,  Sir 
David  Kirke,  one  of  Britain's  bravest  -ea-captains,  arrived  in 
Xi'wfouiidhind,  and  took  nyt  his  abode  at  Fcrryhuul,  where  Lord 
lialtimore  had  lived.  Sir  David  was  armed  with  the  powers  of 
a  Count  Palatine  over  the  island,  having  obtained  from  Charles 
I.  a  grant  of  the  whole.  He  took  with  him  about  one  hundred 
iiu'ii,  as  the  nucleus  of  a  colony.  Before  leaving  his  native 
land,  he  formed  a  company  to  carry  on  fishing  oi)eratious  in  his 
lu'wiy-acciuired  territory.  Several  patriotic  noblemen  person- 
ally shared  in  the  work  and  aided  him  with  money. 

Sir  David  Kirke  had  [)rcviously  won  high  honors  in  the 
service  of  his  native  comitry.  At  Gaspe  Point  he  had,  with 
a  s(|uadron  of  three  ships  only,  ca[)tured  twenty  French  ves- 
sels, under  the  conunand  of  the  renowned  De  lio<]uemeut.  In 
ii  second  expedition  he  made  a  clean  sweej)  of  all  the  French 
settlements  in  Cana(hi  and  Acadia,  and  took  (Quebec;  yet, 
through  the  imbecility  of  Charles  L,  who  reinstated  the 
Fr  neh  in  tlui  positions  they  had  thus  hvst,  England  had  to 
ret'on(|uer  Canada  at  an  innnenso  exixMiditun^  of  blood  and 
tfeasure,  and  to  caj/ture  once  more!  the  city  of  (^iiebei",  —  this 
time  with  the  loss  of  the  gallant  Wolfe.  Kirke's  reward  for 
his  liraveiT  was  knighthood  and  the  grant  of  the  whole  island 
of  Xewloundland.  He  governed  wisely,  and  used  every  eH'ort 
to  promote  the  colonization  of  the  country.      His  settlement 


'If 


J 


28 


NE  WFOUXDLAXD. 


prosporcd  greatly.  The  Civil  War,  however,  broke  out  iu 
Kuiilaiid,  and  Kirkc,  beini^  a  stanch  loyalist,  all  his  })ossossions 
in  N\!\vfoundland  wore  confiscated  by  the  victoiious  Coninion- 
wealth.  By  the  aici  of  Claypole,  Croniwell's  son-in-law,  Kirkc 
eventually  got  the  secjuestration  removed,  and,  returninLj  to 
Ferryland,  died  there  in  1(5.')'),  at  the  age  of  tifty-six. 

At  this  time  Newfoundland  contained  a  poi)ul;!tion  of  three 
hundred  and  iifty  families,  or  nearly  two  thousand  inhabitants, 
distril)uted  in  liftcen  small  settlements  along  the  eastern  coast. 
These  constituted  the  resident  population  ;  l)ut,  in  addition, 
there  was  a  floating  i)opulation  of  several  thousands,  who  fre- 
quented the  shores  during  the  summer  for  the  sake  of  tlu;  lish- 
eries,  which  had  now  attained  large  dimensions.  As  (>arly  as 
1G2()  one  hundred  and  iifty  vessels  went  annually  to  the  island 
from  Devonshire  alone  ;  and  the  French  were  even  more  active 
than  the  iMiglish  in  carrying  on  the  iisheries.  AVliile  the  inex- 
haustit)le  wealth  of  the  adjacent  se:  s  added  greatly  to  the 
imi)ortaiic(!  of  the  country,  in  another  way  it  proved  to  be 
locally  injurious.  It  retarded  for  more  than  a  century  tlu' 
settlement  of  the  island,  and  gave  rise  to  social  disorder  and 
llaurant  misrule.  The  fisheries,  as  far  as  the  Enu'lish  were 
concerned,  were  carried  on  l)y  merchants,  shi[)-owners,  and  trad- 
ers residing  in  the  West  of  England.  They  sent  out  their  slii[)s 
and  lishing  crews  early  in  the  sunuuer.  The  lish  cauiiiit  were 
salted  and  dried  ashore.  When  winter  approached  the  lisher- 
men  rei'mbarked  for  England,  carrying  with  them  the  products 
of  tlicir  labor.  They  considered  it  their  interest  to  discourage 
the  settlement  of  the  country,  as  they  wished  to  retain  the 
harbors  and  llsliing-eoves  for  the  use  of  tholr  servants  while 
engagi'd  in  curing  the  lish.  All  settlers  on  the  land  were 
regarded  as  Iiiterlopers.  The  most  strenuous  efforts  were  made 
{()  keep  the  resident  population  within  the  narrowest  [)()ssibli! 
limits.  In  this  way  there  sprang  up  a  strong  autagonisiu 
bi'lwcen  the  merchants  and  traders  resident  in  England,  whose 
servants  were  sent  out  to  i)r()secute  the  sunnner  Iisheries,  and 
the  few  settlers  who  were  striving  to  cultivate  the  soil.  The 
struirulc!  between  these  contending  interests  forms  a  tlrearv 
chapter  in  the  history  of  Xewfoundland.     The  wealthy  mer- 


EARLY  STRUGGLnS   IX  PEACE  AXD    }VAJi. 


29 


(li.ints,  having  the  car  of  the  Homo  Govoniinont,  were  able  to 
scciir*'  llio  (MUU'tmcnt  of  unjust  and  o[)pi'essivo  hiws  which 
eircitually  provonted  the  colonization  of  the  island,  and  pre- 
x'l'vcd  it  as  a  mere  station  for  the  cure  of  tish.  Under  the  plea 
tliMi  the  lisherics  must  be  preserved  as  a  nursery  of  seamen  for 
the  IWitish  navy,  the  various  successive  governments,  at  the 
iiisiJLration  of  the  tishing  merchants  and  traders,  promulgated 
liiu  -i  prohibiting  settlement  within  six  miles  of  the  shore,  for- 
l»i(|(iiii!r  any  one  to  proceed  to  the  country  as  a  settler,  and 
ordaiiiiiig  that  all  lishermen,  at  Uu;  close  of  the  tishing  sea- 
son, should  return  to  England.  Masters  of  vessels  were  com- 
pelled to  give  ])onds  of  £100  to  bring  back  such  persons  as 
tiny  took  out,  and  '"all  plantations  in  Xeu'foundland  were  to 
he  iliMouraged."  This  oppressive  policy  went  on  for  more 
than  a  century.  Even  so  late  as  17U7,  we  lind  the  govciiior 
lor  the  time  being  shar[)ly  rebuking  a  sherilf  for  having,  during 
hi>  aliscnco,  permitted  a  resident  to  erect  a  fence,  and  ordcr- 
iiii;-  certain  sheds,  designed  for  the  shelter  of  the  inhabitants, 
to  he  removed,  and  prohibiting  others  to  "erect  chinmeys  to 
llicli'  >lie(ls,  or  even  light  lires  in  them  of  any  kind."  \Vith 
siuli  laws  in  force,  the  wonder  is,  not  that  the;  colony  did  not 
aihanee.  hut  that  any  resident  i)o})ulation  should  have  Iieen 
lou:i(l  t(i  occupy  its  shores.  Progress,  of  course,  was  out  of 
the  ijuotion.  The  ill-used  residents  could  not  legally  encloso 
or  liU  a  [lieco  of  ground,  or  i'e[)air  a  house  without  a  license, 
wliicli  was  rarely  u'rantcnl.  They  were  thus  compelled  to  look 
to  the  stormy  ocean  as  the  sole  source  whence  they  could  draw 
a  xanfy  subsistence.  Yet,  in  s|)ite  of  all  these  dilliciilties  and 
discouragements,  the  sturdy  settlers  clung  to  the  soil,  cdni- 
lialcil  the  "adv(Miturers,"  as  the  merchants  were  called, 
iiiii'ea-eil  in  numbers,  and  eventually  obtainetl  freedom  of 
sell  lenient  and  a  relief  fronj  oppression.  In  the  teeth  of  lmiu^t 
laws,  designed  to  degrade  a  line  island  larger  than  Ireland  to 
a  luei'e  >tage  for  the  curing  of  tish,  the  population  increased 
leiil'ohi  in  ninety  yeai's.  Hut  if,  as  in  the  ca^^eof  tli(>  neigh- 
hoiiiig  pro\inccs,  colonization  had  been  helped  and  eiieonraged 
!'i'e:ii  the  outset,  Xewfoundlaiid  would  to-day  l>e  in  the  front 
\~\uk  of    British    colonies.      Only  seventy  years  have  (da[)sed 


I 


r  •iii! 


I 


i;  ^'' 


i      .{ 


,        ,.Kfl 


J  'A    t^. 


tfl|i'?!'|'  r 


30 


XEWFOi'XiJLAXD. 


I 


iiiiii 


siiKo  the  repeal  of  the  oppressive  enactments  under  which  the 
country  sutler'.'d,  and  the  progress  of  the  colony  in  that  time 
has  been  most  satisfactory.  Still,  the  injury  inflicted  by  the 
unhai)i)y  policy  referred  to,  was  felt  long  afterwards,  and  in 
many  ways.  A  state  of  antagonism  and  embittered  feeliuL' 
between  those  desirous  of  permanent  settlement,  and  the  fish- 
ing-merchants who  wished  to  keep  the  country  and  the  fisher- 
ies as  a  profitable  monopoly  in  their  own  hands,  was  tliu< 
fomented  duriiig  a  long  time.  Misrule,  anarchy,  and  turbu- 
lence, spread  among  the  peoi)le  who  were  outside  the  pale  of 
law,  and  all  attempts  at  civilization  were  steadily  discouraged. 
From  self-interest,  those  who  wished  to  prevent  colonizatioii 
systematically  misrepresented  the  natural  resources  of  tlio 
country.  They  i)roclaimed  to  the  world  that  it  was  a  barren 
rock,  fit  only  for  fishermen's  accommodation  in  drying  their 
nets  and  curing  their  fish.  Even  to  this  day  such  an  idea  of 
the  country  is  largely  ])revalent,  and  it  is  only  of  late  that  cor- 
rect information  has  been  obtained  and  diifused. 

The  policy  of  rei)ression  and  discouragement  began  in  l()l)."), 
its  source  being  the  notorious  Star  Chamber.  To  this  court 
the  merchants  and  shi[)-()\vners  of  the  West  of  England,  who 
wanted  to  keei)  the  island  as  a  preserve  of  their  own,  addressed 
a  petition,  re(]uesting  legal  enactments  to  preserve  order  and 
repress  crime.  The  Star  Chauiber  proceeded  to  legislate,  I>ut 
their  enactments  were  altogether  one-sided,  being  directed  to 
conserve  the  interests  of  the  merchants  and  shii)-()wners.  Nei- 
ther till?  personal  nor  the  material  received  the  smallest  con- 
sideration. The  code  by  which  Xewfoundland  was  to  he 
governed,  among  other  things,  enacted  that  "if  a  man  k'\\\vd 
another,  or  sf.ole  to  (lie  value  of  fot'hj  xhUlln'jx^  the  offender  wa> 
to  be  brought  to  England,  and  the  matter  was  to  bi;  tried  by  the 
Earl  Marshal,  and  if  ihe  fact  was  proved  by  two  witnesses,  lie 
was  to  sutler  death.  No  jjcrson  was  to  deface  or  spoil  any  stage, 
cook-room,  or  other  Imilding.  The  master  of  the  ship  tliiit 
first  entered  a  hai'bor  was  to  be  admiral  of  th(>  same  for  the 
season.  No  ))i  rson  was  to  steal  any  li^h,  salt,  or  provisions 
belonging  to  \\n\/i.shiii;/-s/iij}s,  or  rob  the  nets.  The. company 
wei'c  to  assemble  themsehes  on  Sundays  to  hear  divine  ser- 


EARLY  STRUGGLES  IX  PEACE  AXD    WAR. 


vice.  The  mayors  of  Southainpton,  Weymouth,  and  certain 
other  towns  were  to  take  cognizance  of  all  otlenccs  or  crimes 
coiumitted  on  the  soil  of  Newfoundland."  This  last  enactnient 
is  a  curious  specimen  of  the  jurisprudence  of  those  days,  and 
sliows  how  scanty  was  the  amount  of  justice  meted  out  to  the 
resident  population.  In  IGOO  the  same  court  continued  the 
cuactnients  of  KSo.'J,  and  made  the  following  additional  [)n)vi- 
sioii :  "That  no  master  or  owner  of  any  ship  should  trans[)()rt 
any  ))ersons  to  Newfoundland  who  were  not  of  the  ship's  coin- 
l)aiiy,  or  such  as  were  to  plant  or  settle  there."  In  sujiport  of 
this  i)rovision  the  Lords  of  the  T*rivy  Council  issued  an  order 
to  the  magistrates  of  the  western  ports  to  take  care  that  no 
shipmasters  carried  any  but  the  shi[)'s  company  to  Newfound- 
laiul,  or  those  engaged  in  the  lisheries. 

Kepeated  cflbrts  were  made  to  have  a  governor  ai)[)ointed 
for  the  island.  Tin;  merchants  and  shi[)-owners  vigorously 
resisted  the  proposal,  and  succeeded  in  preventing  any  such 
iip[)oiMlinent.  It  suited  them  nuich  better  to  have  the  control 
of  tli(!  iisheries  in  their  own  hands  without  any  interference. 
A  li'overnor  mi^ht  ijossihlv  side  with  the  resident  i)v  i)ulation, 
ordistiu'l)  their  pleasant  monoMolv.  IVtitions  from  the  mer- 
chants  and  traders,  and  eounter-petitions  from  the  settlers, 
colli iiiiicd  to  1)0  sent  to  the  connnittee  of  trade  on  this  and 
other  subjects,  but  without  any  favoi-able  result  as  far  as  the 
interests  of  the  resident  [jopulation  were  concerned.  At 
length,  in  KiiM),  the  Hoard  of  Trade;  was  constituted,  and  a 
fresh  set  of  petitions  were  prt'sented  to  the  new  authority.  In 
!in-\ver  the  settlers  were  informed  that  "planters,  in  a  moder- 
ate number,  were  at  all  times  convtMiient  for  the  preparation 
and  preservatit)n  of  boats,  stages,  and  other  things  lu'cessaiy 
for  the  tishery,  but  that  they  slundd  not  exwed  one  tliiuisand ." 
Surli  was  the  utmost  concession  that  this  IJoard,  in  their 
wisdom,  were  pre[)ared  to  grant.  The  exist  (Mice  of  a  resident 
jiopulation  to  the  iwtent  of  a  thousand  was  to  be  sanctioned, 
hut  only  for  the  purpose  of  taking  care  of  boats  and  lishing- 
j:e;ir  (luring  those  winter  months  when  the  tru(>  owners  of  the 
island  were  in  England. 

Another  source  of  trouble  to   tli(>  resident    po[)iilation,  and 
one  which  greatly  retarded  the  prosperity  of  llu!  country,  was 


m 


.1 


NE  WFO  UXDL  A  XD. 


llu 


1' 


fcsenee    and    continual    oncToathincnts    of    the    Fivncli 


Tlioir  i'ul(!  at  this  time  oxtondod  over  Nova  Scotia  (Acadia), 
("a])(!  IJrctoii,  and  Canada,  and  tlu'ir  aniMtious  I'onunandant- 
and  liovcrnoi's  in  America  hoastcd  "  that  they  would  soon  hi 
ahic  to  drive  the  Kniilish  colonists  into  the  sea."' 


'I'he  struuu'le  helween   Knirland  and  France  for  dominion 


III 


Xoi'th  i\merica  now  conmienced  in  earnest.  It  soon  Ix-eanic 
e\  ident  that  one  or  oth(!r  of  the  contending  powers  must  he 
driven  froia  the  New  \\'orld.  The  conquest  of  Xewfoiuidlaiid 
had  loiiijj  l)een  a  favorite  ohject  with  French  statesmen.  Not 
only  would  the  i)()ssossion  of  that  inland  hav(!  enahled  the 
Fi'ench  to  control  the  vahial)le  lish"ries,  hut  if  would  havo 
placed  ill  Iheir  hands  the  key  to  ihcir  t ransatlantii.^  possessions, 
as  it  coimnandeil  the  narrow  e::l ranee  to  Canada,  the  must  \ai'i- 
ahle  of  them.  In  Klo-')  the  Fi'ench  obtained  [x'nnission  fivi  a 
the  Kiiu'lish  to  dry  lish  on  the  shores  of  Xi^vfoundland  on  p;;y- 
ment  of  a  duty  of  livi'  percent,  on  the  produce;  and  in  liliiii 
they  i'oiinded  a  colony  at  IMacentia,  an  admirably  chosen  si',.' 
for  such  a  i)urp(>se.  'J'hey  tortilied  the  places  with  powert'u! 
works,  and  they  ()ccui)ied  other  [)ositions  aloni;'  the  southern 
shori'.  ^Vith  Ca[)e  lU'eton  in  their  [jossession  they  coinmaiidril 
both  sides  of  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence.  In  KiT.")  Charles  II. 
was  induced  by  Louis  XIV.  to  reliiKpiish  the  duty  of  \\\v  per 
cenf.,  which  had  been  paid  hitherto  as  an  acknowlednnient  of 
the  IJritish  sovenMu'nty.  From  this  date  tlu;  encroachments  of 
the  I''reiich  \i\\\w  in  boldness.  Within  a  few  years  thev  1 
estal)lislu'd  their  dominion  over  a  territory  of  two  hundrcil 
miles  ill  extent,  their  head-(piarters  beiuii"  at   Placi'iitia. 

( )n  the  accession  of  ^\'illianl  III.  to  the  throne  of  England 
hostilities  broke  out  betwei'ii  the  ri\al  nations.  In  \\'iliiaiirs 
(U'claration  of  war  a_ii'.".inst  th(^  French,  Newfoundland  holds  ;i 
promineiil  place  amonu'  tlu^  alleui'd  causes  which  li'd  to  the 
rupture  of  [)acifK'  relations.  The  i:'rievance  was  tersely  set 
Ibrlh  in  the  royal  manifesto:  "It  was  not  Ioiili"  since  lln' 
I'^reiieh  look  license  from  the  (Joveriior  of  Xewfoundland  In 
lish  upon  that  coast,  and  jiaiil  a  tril)Ule  lor  such  liccn>es  as  mi 
acknowledii'ineiit  of  the  sole  ri_u"lit  of  the  Crown  of  KiiiiiaiHl 
to  that    island;   but   of  late  the  encroachments  of  the   French. 


i;hl 


EARLY  STRUGCI.i:^   IX  I'KACi:  A XI)    WAR. 


,".3 


mill  His  Majesty's  subjects  trading  and  fishing  there,  had  been 
iiiKic  like  the  invasions  of  an  enemy  tlian  becoming  friends, 
will)  enjoyed  the  advantages  of  that  trader  ''-dy  by  permission." 
Newfoundland  now  became  the  scene  of  military  skirmishes, 
ii;i\al  battles,  and  sieges  by  land  and  water.  IMie  lirst  oi)era- 
lioii  was  an  attack  on  Placentia,  hy  an  English  squadron,  under 


(  (imniodore 


Will 


iams,  in   1(11)2.     The  French  were  stronu"  in 


iiiiiui)ers  and  fortitications,  and  the  attack  was  unsucees>ful. 
Foul- years  later,  in  li)l)4,  the  Chevalier  Xesmond  was  ordered, 
with  a  fleet  of  ten  ships,  to  join  the  liocheford  sfjuadron  to 
indcc 'd  to  Newfoundhuul.  They  were  instructed  to  drivi^  the 
Kiiizlish  out  of  the  island  ;  and,  having  accom})lished  this  part 
of  I  heir  })rogrannne,  they  were  to  sail  for  Boston  and  destroy 
it,  tiiirether  with  the  nc^iuhboring  settlenientr 


N 


esmond  ari'ivec 


t  i'liicentia.     From  thence  he  made  a  descent  on  the  harbor 


1111(1  town  of  St.    Joh 


n  s. 


II 


e   was  I'epu 


Ise.l, 


an( 


I    instead    of 


g(/iiig  on  to  Boston  he  ri'turned  to  France 
A  more  determined  ell'oit  at  c()n(iucst  wa 


s  niai 


le  lat 


er  m 


th 


sMiiic  year.      I  he  new  e.\[)edition  was  under  the  command  ot 
lli.'rville    and   Brouillan,   the  former  beiriii'   at    the    head  of  a 


CaiKidian  lorce.  The  garrison  of  St.  .b)hn's  was  W(>ak  in 
iiuiiilicrs,  and,  in  want  of  military  stores,  could  only  make  a 
t'lchle  resistance  i  ea[)itubiting  on  easy  terms,  the  troops  were 
,>lii|i|)rd  to  Fngland.  The  fort  and  town  were  burned  to  the 
yiiimitl,  and  the  victors  next  proceeded  to  destroy  all  the 
other  adjacent  English  settlements;  Carbonear  iHid  Bonavista 
alone  proved  too  strong  for  them.  The  I-lnglish  Government 
.11  once  connnenced  dispositions  for  dislodging  the  invaders; 
Imii  l)i'tbre  anything  was  attemjjted,  the  treaty  of  Kyswiek  was 
signed,  in  lt)S>7.  This  treaty  proved  most  unfortuiuite  for 
N'W  toundland.      It  revived   in   the   islaixl    the-   sam(>   state   of 


ilivision  between  France  and  England  which  had  existed  at 
tlif  b(>i.d lining  of  the  war.  The  enemy  I'etiri'd  from  St.  John's 
1111(1  the  other  seltlenufuts  which  they  had  forcibly  ()ccn[)ied. 
Tlit'ir  claims   upon  Flacentia    and    all    the   other   positions   on 


n 


iln'  south-west  coast  were,  however,  eontirined.  The  liritisli 
iiili;iltitants  of  Xewfoundland  were,  therefore,  once  more  left 
e|i(  n  to   French  attacks    should    hostilities   be  again   renewed 


hct  \V('( 


n  the 


e  rival  pov.'ers. 


-I 

i 


m 


H 


-'5^ 


34 


XEWI'UJCMJLAXD. 


!■ 


CHAPTER    III. 


:i 


TYHANNY  BY  ACT  OF  PARLIAMENT. 


[1097-1728.] 

A  ff()V(>rninent  of  skippers  —  A  colony  rojrardcHl  as  a  ship  —  Tho  British  Minis- 
try  advised  to  exclude  women  from  the  Island  —  The  baneful  Act  of  William 
III. — Tlio  first  .sea-captain  arrivinf^  at  the  fisheries  to  be  idmiral  —  Tin- 
population  I'leri'ases,  in  spite  of  unjust  laws  and  venal  judj^es  —  Interposi- 
tion «)f  coimnaiiders  of  the  l{<jyal  Navy — Appointment  of  tiie  first  f^ovurmir 
—  French  attacks  on  the  country  and  cai)ture  of  St.  John's — The  Treaty 
of  Utrecht — Sujiremaey  of  I'in;^land  throuj^hout  Newfoundland — Fishini; 
rij^hts  conceded  to  th"  Frencl:  —  Standinj^  ^^rievances. 


'Ill 


TiiH  thirty  yciu'.s  which  followed  the  Treaty  of  Ilyswick 
constitute  the  durkesl  uud  dreariest  i)eriod  in  the  annals  of 
Newfoundland.  The  dillieiilties  tmd  suH'crings  of  the  resident 
population  were  such  th:it  it  seems  niarvellons  they  were  not 
driven  to  settle  in  some  mori;  favorable  region.  Their  miseries 
arose  partly  from  the  Government  system  of  rule,  and  i)artly 
from  the  attacks  of  the  French,  who  never  ceased  to  harass 
their  liritish  neiohhors  in  continuous  acts  of  plunder  and 
destruction.  Before  referrin;^:  to  the  variou.s  skirmishes  ami 
naval  engagements  of  which  Xowfoimdland  was  tho  seen;'  at 
this  periotl,  we  projxjse  tt)  glance  at  the  internal  condition  ot' 
the  island,  and  endeavor  to  convey  to  the  reader  some  idea  of 
the  social  and  political  struggles  which  characterized  this 
.season  of  anarchy. 

In  the  last  chai)tcr  we  touched  ui>on  the  notable  eiuictmcnts 
of  the  iStar  Chamber  in  the  reign  of  Charles  I.,  by  which  il 
was  ordained  tlutt  if  a  jjcrson  in  Newfoundland  killed  anotlur, 
or  stole  to  the  value  of  forty  siiiilings,  the  oHendtu'  was  to  lie 
sent  to  JMigland,  and,  on  conviction  of  cither  oU'ence,  \v,  In', 
iumired.      ivnother  memorable  enactment  of  this  arbitrary  tri- 


TVRASXr  BV  ACT   OF  PAR  LI  AM  EXT. 


3') 


ImiKil  wtis  that  ♦he  master  of  the  tirst  ship  eiiterini;  a  harlxu- 
was  to  l)e  admiral  therein  for  the  fishing  season,  and  ha\ c  ju- 
dicial i)o\vers  over  the  di^  "iet.  Groaning  imder  the  rule  ot" 
these  ehance-api)()inted,  ignorant  shippers,  who  decided  all 
(|iU!.-5tions  regarding,  in'ojjerty,  and  all  other  dispntes,  without 
any  ■esj'  isihility,  and  often  for  their  own  })rivate  benelit,  the 
iiihal)itants  [)etiti()ned  the  Home  Government  for  the  ai)i)oin!- 
iiu'ut  of  a  governor  and  civil  magistrates.  The  ship-owners 
a]i(l  merchants  had,  however,  sntlieient  influence  to  pre\'eiit 
the  passing  of  a  measure  which  would  have  been  a  recognition 
eft'  island  as  a  colony  and  a  direct  encouragement '  **lers. 
lUiiuled  hy  self-interest  and  a  short-sighted  police  -"iie  men 
.strenuously  endeavored  to  keep  the  country  in  th  *a^(  /."  an 
luircclaimed  wilderness;  while  the  delusion  (f  .vi</  in  the 
end  it  was  discovered  to  be)  of  training  seamer  fo,  ilie  navy 
liy  means  of  die  Xewfoundhuid  fisheries,  induce-.  *he  rulers  of 
I'jiitaiu  to  repress  colonization  1)y  legal  enacti.  .;i  is,  and  to 
atteiiii)ts  to  drive  out  by  harsh  and  oppressive  laws  such  as 
hail  obtained  a  footing  in  the  country.  Another  method  by 
which  the  shi[)-owners  sustained  their  monopoly  was  by  rej)- 
iT<('iiting  the  coimtry,  in  regard  to  soil  and  climate,  as  incaj)a- 
l)le  of  suecessl'ul  cultivation.  They  descril)ed  it  as  a  barren 
rock  litted  for  nothing  better  than  a  depot  for  curing  lish. 

In  the  gi'ai)hic  language  of  an  Under  Secretary,  in  his  e\  i- 
(leiice  Ix'fore  a  connnittee  of  the  House  of  Connnons,  at  a  later 
(late:  "The  Island  of  Xewfoundland  had  been  considered  in 
all  lormer  times  as  a  great  English  ship,  moored  near  the 
i»anks  during  the  fishing  season  for  the  convenience  of  the 
i\iu;;iish  fishermen."  The;  governor  was  regarded  as  the  shi[)"s 
eaidain,  and  all  those  concerned  in  the  fishery  business  as  his 
(lew,  and  subject  to  naval  disci[)line.  To  prevent  the  increase 
et'  inhabitants  on  the  island,  positive  instrueti(jns  were  given 
to  the  governors  not  to  make  any  grants  of  land,  and  to  I'educc 
the  iiinnber  of  the  people  who  were  already  settled  there.  A 
ti  riaiu  Major  I'^lford,  Lieutenant  and  Governor  of  St.  Jtjhn's, 
>'\cii  many  years  after  the  i)eriod  we  are  discussing,  strongly 
recoiuniended  to  the  ministers  of  the  day,  "to  allow  no  woman 
lu  land    in  the  island,  and  that  means  should  be  adopted   to 


■!  ' 


m 


'4 


If.,- 


'  !■ 


36 


NE  WFOUNDLASD. 


remove  those  lliut  were  there."  This  was,  indeed,  going  to  the 
root  of  the  matter.  Xo  more  eireetual  method  of  averting 
c()h)nization  eould  liave  catered  into  the  fertile  brain  of  the 
most   rigid  ohstruetionist. 

h\  1()1»8  the  Hrilisli  Parliament  turned  its  attention  to  New- 
foundland and  its  tisheries.  The  result  was  the  passing  of 
-Vets  10  and  11  W'illituu  III.,  c.  25.  This  statute,  memorahio 
in  the  annals  of  the  colony,  was  entitled,  "An  Aet  to  cneour- 
au'e  the  trade  to  Newfoundland."  It  miu'ht,  with  hetter  show 
of  reason,  have  been  entitled,  ''An  Aet  \o  discourage  Coloni- 
zation." All  its  provisions  were  directcnl  to  the  maintenance 
of  the  island  as  a  tishing-station.  The  banel'ul  eileets  of  tlii> 
statute  of  AVilliam  111.  were  felt  for  nearly  a  century.  It  con- 
stituted the  charter  of  the  monoi)olists,  on  the  authority  of 
which  they  resisted  every  attempt  to  introduce  any  measure 
calculated  to  secure  the  rights  and  liberties  of  a  resident  pop- 
ulation, or  to  grant  them  the  same  privileges  as  were  enjoyed 
by  other  Ih'itish  colonists.  Every  imi)r()vement  had  to  be 
fought  out  in  the  teeth  of  this  statute  ;  every  successive  amelio- 
ration in  the  condition  of  the  peojjle  was  bitterly  op})osed  as 
])eing  inconsistent  with  the  principles  of  this  op[)ressivc  law. 
We  have  seen  that,  prcxious  to  this  time,  the  country  "was 
ruled  by  a  set  of  regulations  which  rested  on  the  (juestionable 
authority  of  orders  in  Council  from  the  Star  Chamber.  The 
effect  of  the  statute  of  AVilliam  was  to  give  the  force  of  law 
to  these  tyrannical  reguhitions,  under  which  the  resident  po])- 
ulalion  had  sutlered  so  long,  and  to  embody  in  an  Act  of 
Parliament  (the  I'arliament  of  the  Kevolution)  nearly  tiio 
whole  of  the  old  barbarous  code.  No  wonder  that  the  monopo- 
lists, j-ear  after  year,  were  loud  in  their  praises  of  a  statute 
-vhieh  secured  for  them  complete  ascendency  over  the  resident 
po]ndation,  who  had  no  choice  but  to  submit  to  their  hard  fate. 

Tlu!  provisions  of  this  Act  seem  to  us  almost  incredible  in 
the  i)resent  day.  The  lishino;  admirals  of  Star  Chamber  orieiii 
were  reinstated,  and  with  almost  unlimited  jjowers.  Nt;t  only 
Avas  it  enacted  that  the  master  of  the  first  ship  arriving  at  \\w 
tisheries  from  I'higland  should  be  admiral  of  the  harbor  in 
which  ho  cast  anchor,  but  the  masters  of  the  second  and  thii'*l 


TVRAXXr  BY  ACT   OF  PARLIAM EXT. 


37 


following  vessels  were  to  l)e  vice-aduiii-al  and  rear-admiral,  tin' 
fir-t  having  the  privilege  of  reserving  to  himself  so  imu-h  of 
the  Iieaeh  us  he  recjuired  for  his  own  use.  The  arrangement 
\v;is  evidently  based  on  the  })rineii)le  of  ignoring  a  resident 
iiopulation,  and  providing  merely  lor  the  lishermen  who  amm- 
allv  migrated  from  England.  Each  antmnn.  at  the  elose  of 
the  ti>hery,  the  admirals,  and  all  under  their  inmiediate  eharge, 
disa[)peared.  The  inhabitants  were  lel't  without  even  the  >em- 
l)lanee  of  law  or  ord<-r  to  i)ass  the  winter  as  lu'st  they  could. 
As  a  elass,  these  mastei's  of  ti-idng-vessels  Avere  rude  and 
ignorant  men,  utterly  unlitled  to  be  tlu'  judges  in  matteis  so 
vitallv  alleeting  a  large  and  im[)ortant  trade.  ^Moreover,  a^ 
s('r\anls  of  the  nu'rehants,  they  were  themselves  personally 
iiitticsted  in  the  (jueslions  which  arose  regarding  })roperty. 
They  were  elosely  indentilied  with  the  capitalists  Avho  carried 
on  the  fisheries  from  England,  and  were,  for  this  and  other 
reasons,  utterly  uncjualitied  to  (li>pense  justii-e  between  their 
(•uii)loyers  and  the  [)eo[)lc!  born  or  resident  in  the  country. 
IiKliiiries,  instituted  afterwards,  have  shown  what  kind  of 
iustiee  was  meted  out  to  the  poor  inhabitants,  who  wen;  re- 
L^ardcd  as  interlo[)ers  by  these  rough  sea-captains.  Under 
their  rule  the  most  frightful  al)u>es  were  [)erpetrated,  and  the 
nui>l  tyrannical  practices  were  universal.  The  i)owers  with 
wliirh  they  were  endowed  enal)led  theni  to  drive  the  inliahi- 
laiits  from  their  houses    and  lishini>-u-roimds    and  garden.-,  t 


ma 


ke  room  for  themselves  and  their  friemh 


Jn  ll 


o 


leU'   evi's 


the  highest  misdemeanor  a  resident  could  be  guilty  of  wa>  the 
cultivation  of  a  jjortion  of  the  soil.  They  had  no  hesitation  in 
levelling  the  house  of  any  resident,  or  appropriating  it  for 
"the  use  of  the  lishery,"  which  iiK-ant  for  their  own  use.  In 
a  representation  addressed  to  the  Home  Government  in  17L"), 
liy  a  num])er  of  residents,  the  following  language  is  u>i'd : 
"The  admirals    prove  geiusrally  the    greati'st    knaves,  and  do 


iiiti>t  prejudice!,  bemg  generally  |u<lge  and  party  in  hi'anng 
Miits  for  debt  ;  and  when  they  have  served  themselves,  then 
lliey  will  do  Justiee  to  others.  So  it  will  be  reepiisite  to  have 
a  civil  governnuMit,  and  [x'rsons  appointed  to  administer  ju.'^liee 
i;i  the    most  frequented    i)laces,  that  we  may  l)e  governed  as 


*     i| 


ii 


;  ii 


i  ^:iy 


1 


38 


KEM'FOrXDLAN-D. 


!     •         '  I- 


Rvitoiis,  and  not  liv(!  liko  Itanditti  or  forsaken  people,  withoui 
law  or  irospcl." 

In  Cliicf  Jnstifo  Kcovcs'  excellent  history  of  the  uovennneiit 
of  Xewfoundland,  puhlisjied  in  17113,  \v(;  have  a  striUini;  jjieturr 
of  llu;  condition  of  the  conntry  under  the  tishin^^  admirals  :  "It 
has  hecn  too  often  stated  in  the  coiu'si!  of  tiiis  historical  inquiry 
to  need  repetition  that  th<;  admirals  were  the  servants  of  the 
merchants  ;  that  Justice  was  not  to  be  cxix'cted  from  them  ;  that 
a  ])oor  planter  or  inhabitant,  who  was  considered  little  better 
than  a  law-breaker  In  b(;ini^  such,  had  bnt  small  chance  of 
justice;  in  opposition  to  any  <rreat  AVest-Country  merchant ;  that 
they  have  been  in  the  habit  of  seciiiij  that  species  of  wickedness 
and  anarchy  ever  since  Xewfoundland  was  freijuented,  from 
father  to  son.  It  was  favorable  to  their  old  im^jressiouH  that 
>rewfotuidland  was  theirs,  and  that  all  the  planters  were  to  be 
sjioiled  at  their  pleasure,"  The  same  authority  shows  that  the 
inhabitants  were  entirely  at  the  mercy  of  tlu;  merchants  and 
adventurers;  that  these  .vero  tlu;  importei-s  of  all  articles  of 
domestic  necessity,  as  a!>o  such  as  were  needed  for  the  prose- 
cution of  the  fishery,  and  that  they  sold  their  u'oods  on  their 
own  terms  on  credit  to  the  planters,  well  knowini;  that  the 
products  of  the  tlsherv  would  reimbui'se  them,  ^^'hen  any 
dillictdty  arose  al)out  the  payment  of  debts,  it  was  not  unusual 
for  the  ajrents  of  the  merchants  to  seize  Avhatever  tish  they 
could  lay  hands  on,  leavintr  the  unfortunate  tishermen  without 
wau'cs  or  any  means  of  snjjport,  "salt  [n'ovisions  and  craft "'  be- 
inir,  according  to  existin<*'  reiiulations,  iiayable  before^  waLres, 
The  Hshini^  admirals  were  not  only  overbearinir,  they  were 
\enal.  Their  judicial  decisions  were  occasionally  iiilluenced  bv 
2ifts.  1'he  inhabitants  were,  by  the  express  terms  of  the  Act. 
))rohiI»ited  from  takinjj:  ui)  any  bi'ach  or  jdace  until  all  the  ships 
arrivinj^  from  Enijfland  were  i)rovided  for.  If  any  stai;e,  cook- 
r.K)ni,  or  beach  had  been  taken  possession  of,  they  had  to  <|uit 
it  forthwith  for  the  use  of  the  miuratory  tishermen.  The  li^^lit 
in  which  the  unfortunate  residents  were  reirarded  1)y  the  mo- 
no])olists  may  b(>  gathered  from  tin;  cool  reply  of  the  latter  to 
an  invitation  addressed  to  them  by  the  F)oard  of  Trade  to  com- 
nuuiicato  their  views  reiiardiuir   what    could  be    done    for  the 


TVIlAXXr  Br  ACT   OF  PAIILIAMENT. 


30 


|"iir!ln'r;inco  of  the  tishory.  Tlicy  siii:ir^'>t*'<l  the  iijjpoiutiDiiit  of 
)n-ri(('s  ot'thc  po!u;o  to  act  in  winter,  diirini^  the  ahseiiee  of  the 
.•idiulials  ;  'hut  they  adch'd  tliat  th(i  hest  interests  of  the  country 
udiilil  he  promoted  if  a  rc>i(h'nt  ))o))uIation  wei'c  wholly  dis- 
|i(Mi>cd  with.  To  .secure  this  happy  result  they  proi)osed,  with 
disinterested  l)enevolence,  that  the  existinii  s(>ttlers  (nhout 
ihicc  thousand  men,  hesid(!s  tlniir  wiv(>s  and  children)  .-liduld 
lie  eiicourau'ed  to  emi;/ratc  to  Xova  Scotia,  where  inhahitants 


uci-e  wan 


ted. 


Ndtwithstandiiiii'  these  ()i)prc.ssive  an<l  unjust  laws,  tlic   re-^i- 
(Icnl  population  c(jntiniied  to  increase.     'I'his  fact  may  l)e  takru 


a>   1 


a  t'o 


ilu.ttrativc;  of  the  siniiulai-  attractiveness  of  the  inland  from 
jonist'.s  point  of  view.  The  heiirht  of  prosperity  Xewfouud- 
laiid  miurht  have  achieved  under  the  fosterinir  care  of  a  wise  and 
:;('iiei'ous  novermnent  may  lt(^  ea.-ily  imaiiiued.  Amon;^  the 
earlv  settlers  who  fouu'ht  and  ultimately  won  the  hattle  against 
enormous  and  cruel  odds  there  must  have  l>een  many  men  of 
lirrat  siu'or  of  eliaracter  and  solid  worth.  We  have  jjroof  of 
this  in  the  fact  that,  tindinur  there  was  no  redness  of  their 
wroniis  to  b(^  expecteil  fiom  the  home  authorities,  the  inlial)i- 
tants  of  St.  John's  oi-ii'ani/ed  a  local  parliament,  composed  of 
till'  moi'e  intelliirent  and  intluential  of  thcii'  numhi'r,  includinii- 
the  eonnnanders  of  merchant-shi[)s  and  souk;  of  the  merciiants. 
Ill  this  assembly,  after  lonir  debiitiis,  continued  throuixh  several 
se>sions,  sundry  laws  and  icixulations  wei'e  j)asscd  "  Ibr  the 
better  discii)line  and  u'ood  onh'r  of  the  peo[)le,  and  for  coi-rect- 
iiiL;'  iriviiularitie.s  committed  contrary  to  uood  laws. 


Fift 


ecu 


ariii 


h's  were  tinally  a(h)pte(l  liy  this  voluntary  assembly,  which 


iiiii>l   iiave  proved  V(.'ry  servic-eai)le  m  })reservmi^  order  under 


(U 


Doubtl 


ess. 


too. 


tl 


us 


the  mi>''de  of  thc!  lishinu"  admirals. 
aiicmi)t  .  '  local  self-government  \vas  the;  germ  of  that  refoi'in- 
atory  movement  which  afterwards  increased  in  volume,  and 
liiially  gave  io  the  island  a  settled  government  and  just  laws. 
In  the  eonnnodores  and  coimnanders  of  the  royal  slii[>'  \'^')n) 
]i('riodicaIly  visited  the  island,  the  op|)resse<l  inhabitant-  lound 
ihiir  l)est  friends  and  ludpers.  These;  ollicers  were  unpfciii  diced 
ol)>ervers  of  the  disorder  anil  injustice  which  prevaile  i.  I  roni 
tiiiK!  to  lime  they  made  representations  on  the  .subjci;!   to  tlu; 


\   ,A 


'  ' 


ii 

n 


ill 


40 


NE  WFO  UNDLA  ND. 


m. 


•w'i"  ill 


■■('i 


Imporiiil  !iiilhoritio.<,  and  urijod  the  nocGssitv  of  a  \\(\\s  swstcin 
of  irovci'iiMKMit.  The  inonopolisls,  however,  liaviii<»'  the  oar  of 
the  Uoai'd  of  Trade,  jjossesscd  siillicieiit  iiilliienee  to  eouiiteraet 
the  etl'orts  of  the  naval  eoninianders.  Thijy,  too,  i)referrod  coni- 
])laints  to  this  Bojird  ;  hut  all  theh'  jjctitions  had  reterenet^  to 
tlieii'  own  interests,  takini:"  no  aeeount  of  tlus  inha))itants.  They 
eoinplained  that  New  Knijland  men  were  allowed  to  import  run» 
an<i  tohaeeo  into  Newfoundland,  to  the  detriment  of  their  own 
tralHc.  and  asked  that  "nonc!  shoidd  he  allowed  to  retail  these 
articles  hut  to  their  own  servants."  They  asked  that  the  eoni- 
modori's  should  not  he  allowed  to  interfere  with  the  decisions 
of  the  tishiuif  adn)irals  ;  they  demanded  that  the  encroachments 
of  the  inhai>itants  on  the  hai'Ifors,  to  the  (h'triment  of  the;  ships 
from  i'^iii'land,  should  he  checked;  and  they  siiu"<>'eslcd  that  the 
lishinn"  admirals  "should  have  i)ower  to  inlli"t  corporal  punish- 
mei\t  on  all  piM'sons  profaniuu'  the  Lord's  Day,  and  all  counnon 
(h'unkiu'ds,  swearers,  and  h'wd  })ersons  ;  and  that  a  sutlicient 
nuniher  of  ministers  should  he  sent  and  \)\\\(\  for  hy  Eni:lan<l 
to  instruct  the  [)eo[)le."  'I  here  was  indeed  no  limit  to  the 
arropuice  of  thi^  mono{)olists. 

i\\  lem.'th  there  came  the  dawn  of  hetter  days  for  the  resident 
population.  In  the  year  172'S  (he  connuo(h)re  in  charii'e  <;f  the 
station  at  Newfoundland  was  Lord  Vih'o  IJeauelerk,  a  nohleman 
of  considerahle  talent  and  wiMLdit  of  character.  Strongly  im- 
pressed with  the  evils  of  the  systian  of  rule  in  force  in  the 
island,  he  mach'  such  sti\.n^'  i-epresentations  to  the  Board  ot 
Track-,  tliat  the  Home  (lovernment  wen^  at.  haijith  iiuhiced  to 
send  out  a  ^•overnor  with  a  commission  to  estahlish  some  form 
of  ('i\il  li'overnmtMit.  The  ai»j)ointment  was  conferred  on  ('a|)- 
tain  Henry  Oshorne,  of  His  Majesty's  ship  "S((uirrel."  Thus 
conmieneed  t!ie  iia\al  <:'()vernnient  of  Newfoundland  hy  caj>tains 
and  admirals  ot"  (he  Ih'itish  navy,  which  was  continued  tor 
many  years.  This  wa>  not  only  a  social  Ihxmi,  hut  it  was 
virtually  a  recounilion  of  Newfoundland  as  a  colony  of  the 
British  I'mpire.  The  chanu'e  did  m-i,  it  is  true,  for  a  leri<yth- 
ene(l  pei'iod  accomplish  anything'  for  the  settlement  and 
coloni/.ation  of  the  country,  hecausc'  th(!  ohnoxious  "Statute  of 
A\'illiam   HI."  was  let't  unrepealed,  and  the  governors  were  in- 


^:.% 


structed 
iiicnt  i)r( 
admirals 

(T[icratioi 
iiieut  of 
(ililaiuetl 
came  a  I 
seed  lieili 
jt  came 
Twenty 
out   a  spi 

o-V;l>p  ot' 

(lid  ihey 
intention 
o-()\-enior 
This  aro^ 
fcrred  on 
iiccordiii,^ 
((I  n()\('i' 
with    oth 
adininisli 
i>land. 
contra  IT 
the  po\*"e 
tains  of 
iiidini;"  ai 
ot'  war  a 
statute. 
All  Mllic 
exeeuilil 
(•ll'eel>  o1 

pai'iily/e 
Bel'or( 
ti'(iul>les 
|iel'iod, 
ceaseles! 
W.'  havi 
I'rench 


TYRAXXr  DV  ACT  OF  PARLIAMENT. 


41 


striK'tcd  to  enfoire  its  provisions  ;  l)ut  tiu;  new  torni  of  uon imm- 
iiiciit  j)rove(l  to  1)0  a  jrreat  imi)rovt'Uient  on  that  of  the  li>liiiiLr 
ii(huirnls.  Altli()ii;:Ii  these  odicials  were  not  !ilK)li>lic(l,  ili.ir 
(;[)cT!itioiis  were  under  soniethinii'  like  eontrol.  In  the  iipjtoinl- 
iiit'ut  of  a  governor  the  germ  <jf  h)e!il  civil  government  was 
olttaiiied,  and,  though  its  growth  was  slow,  it  eventually  lie- 
(aiue  a  living  i)()we)".  More  than  sixty  years  elapsed  from  the 
seed  being  sown  herore  the  eonstitutional  harvest  was  gathered. 
]t  came  in  the  estahli^hment  of  a  Supreme  (."ourl  of  fluditalure. 
Twenty  years  after  that  it  was  permissible  to  build  houses  wiiji- 


011 


t   a  s) 


)i'eial  Ueense  Irom 


the  u' 


overnor 


So  tenacious  was  the 


gi'Msp  of  tlu!  niono])oli>ts  on  the  country,  and  so  jierliiiacioii^Iy 
(lid  they  op))os(!  all  ellorts  tor  its  colonization,  that  the  good 
intentions  of  the  Ilonu'  (io\  I'l'nment  in  the  appointment  ol"  a 
ii(i\('rn()r  were  for  a  Ion;>:  period  rendered  almost  nugatory. 
This  ai'ose  [)artly  from  the  limited  character  of  the  powers  ton- 


teired  on  the  lii'st  i^ovcrnor  and  his  suece-sor- 


1 


lis  conmu->ion, 


iU'coi'ding  to  Keeve.s,  gave  him  authority  to  admiiuster  the  oaths 
to  government  ollieials,  and  to  appoint  Justices  of  the  ])eace, 
with  other  necessary  olhcers  and  ministers,  for  the  belter 
administration  of  justice  ainl  keeping  the  [x-ace  and  (piiet  of  tlu' 
i>lan<l,  I)Ut  neither  he  nor  the  justices  were  to  ilo  anything 
contrary  to  the  Statute'  10  and  11  William  III.,  nor  obstruct 
the  poNvcrs  therein  coni'erred  on  the  admirals  ol"  harbors  or  cap- 
tiuns  of  the  shi[)s  of  war.  '1  he  justices  were  reipiired  to  be 
iiiding  and  assisting  the  connnodoi'e  or  commanders  of  tl;e  ships 
r  and  the  (Ishing  adnnrais  in  putting  in  execution  the  .-aid 


ot   wa 
.Matuh 


'V\ 


le  irovernor  was  to  ei'cet  a  court-Louse  iu 


)i'i>on. 


All  olIiiH'i's,  civil  and  military,  were  to  aid  and  assi.-t   him  in 
executing    this    connni>si()n.      \\'e  shall  see  presently   the  e\il 


o 


cireeis  of  leaving  the  lishing  admirals  with   unabatetl  powi'r  t 
jiaialy/e  the  action  of  the  governors. 

liefore  closing  this  chapter  we  nuist  revei't  brielly  to  the 
troubles  through  which  Newfoundland  had  to  pass  during  this 
pei'lod,  owing  to  the  encroachments  of  the  I-'reneh  \\\\{\  their 
<ea^eless  t'ndcavors  to  obtain  entire  possession  of  the  inland. 
We  have  seen   that   the  trealv  of   Kyswii'k,    in    1(11)7,    h.'t'l  the 


1- 


rench  m  })ossessu)n  of  IMacenlia  and  various  o 


)ther  pli 


ices  aloiiiX 


1 1 


4  i^ 


ih  !(( 


42 


yKWFol'SDf.AXI). 


{lie  soutluTii  shore.  From  these  i)oiiits  of  vantage  they  carried 
on  an  extensive  and  lucrative  tisiiery  in  the  (rulf  of  St. 
La\vr(Mic(.'  and  around  the  northern  shores  of  Xcwfoundhmd. 
A\'h('n  war  Ix'tween  England  and  France  broke  out  afresh  in 
1  702  a  s(iua(h'on  was  sent  out,  un(Un'  Captain  Leake,  with  orders 
to  (hive  the  French  out  of  Newfoundland.  The  attack  was 
partially  successful,  as  various  French  settlements  on  the  northern 
shoi'e  were  destroyed,  and  the  fortifications  on  the  island  of  St. 
Pierre  wer(MlismantI(Hl ;  hut  tlu^  French  were  still  left  in[)ossession 
of  their  chief  stronuhold  in  Placentia.  An  unsnccessfid  attem})t 
was  made  to  reduce  this  forlilied  jxjsition  in  the  following  year. 
Then  in  their  turn  the  French  again  ])eeame  the  agirressors. 
V\"\\\\  a  sti'ong  force;  they  niarclu'd  on  St.  John's.  They  were 
^■ict()l•iou^iy  I'epulsed.  Turning  their  l)acks  on  St.  .loiiirs,  how- 
ever, they  fell  upon  the  other  lOnglish  settlements  along  the 
coast,  destroying  many  of  them  and  carrying  oil' a  large  ninnher 
of  the  inhabitants  into  ca})tivity.  Vt  a  later  date,  in  ITd.s,  the 
French  again  assailed  the  caj)ital.  I'he  garrison  was  taken  hy 
surprise,  and  the  enemy  obtained  [)ossession  of  the  [)lace. 
They  a!  once  proceculed  to  dismanth^  the  ft)rtilications  and  de- 
slrov  mo>t  of  the:  hous(>s.  C'arl)onear  alone  was  again  able  to 
resi  ■  the  l-'rench,  !ind  for  several  years  this  was  the  only  town 
on  the  island  where  the  Hag  of  England  was  not  hauled  down. 
Xcwfoundhmd  for  a  time  was  lost  to  the;  Uritish  l'jn[)ire.  Jn 
the  glories  of  our  inilitary  and  naval  triumphs  in  other  part.-  of 
the  world  the  loss  was  easily  forgotli'ii.  At  length  Louis  XI\^, 
who  in  the  greater  conllicts  of  the;  time  had  seen  his  lerritorii's 
il'raduallv  diminished  and  his  slroiiLrholds  llvinu' hostile  banners. 


w 


as  glad  to  accept  terms  of  peace 


Tl 


le  W( 


ll-known  Treat  V  of 


I'treclil  was  concluded  in  17!.').  Certain  of  its  provisions  mark 
a  gi'cal  era  in  the  history  of  Newfoundland.  'J'he  whole  conn- 
try,  with  the  adjacenl  islands,  was  declared  to  be  the  possession 
of  (Jrciit  Ih'ilain.  I'lacentia  and  all  other  [)laees  wiMe  ordere<l 
to  be  surrendered.  '11ms  the  exclusive  .sovereignly  of  the  en- 
tire island  was  secured  to  ICngland.  A  very  im|)ortan1  reserva- 
lion  v\as,  however,  maile  in  favor  of  iIk^  Fi'ench,  which  was 
destincil  to  be  a  soui'ce  of  trouble  'or  more  than  a  c(Mitury  and 
II  half,  and  which  preventeil  the  IJritish  subjects  of  Newlound- 


TYRAXXr  JiV  ACT  OF  PARLIAMEXT. 


43 


liiiid  from  sottiliiiT  and  coloiiiziiiir  more  tliiui  li;ilfthe  islmid,  sind 
t!ii<  ))V  far  the  better  halt'  in  reixard  to  soil,  elimate,  and  natural 


(■ana 


liiliti 


Bv  the   Treaty  of  Utrecht,  though  the   Frcmh 


were  excluded  from  all  territorial  riijfhts  in  Newfoundland, 
they  W('i'(>  secured  in  the  privilege  of  tishing,  concurrently  with 
the  Knglisli,  alonuf  more  than  half  the  coast,  and  also  [jcnnittcd 
to  use  th<.'  slion^  of  this  portion  of  the  island,  so  far  as  it  w;is 
needed  t'or  the  prosecution  of  theiv  tisheries.  This  unfortunate 
concession  led  to  endless  disj)utes.  The  I'^reneh  j)crsistently 
contended  that  the  provisions  of  the  treaty  gave  them,  not  ii 
concurrent,  but  an  exclusive  right  of  fishing  on  this  i)art  of  the 
coa>l,  and  also  that  the  use  of  the  shore;  for  fishery  purposes 
forbade  the  settlement  of  this  region  by  IJritish  sulijects.  J>olh 
these  interpretations  were  rei)udiated  by  f!ie  peo|)le  of  Xew- 
ibiMidiand,  and  W(U'e  never  admitted  as  Ix'ing  correct  Ijy  tl 


10 


J 


niiierin!  authoritie 


N( 


esertheless,  successive  Knu'lisli  (Jov- 


siii.a 


01 


cniincnts  left  tlu;  matter  itiideci<led,  and  refused  to  jjlace  this 
iiortion  of  the  coast  under  the  iuiisdiclion  of  tlus  local  ijfovi'rn- 
iiient,  or  to  sanction  its  settlement,  so  sensitive  were  they  in 
^•u;n<ling  the  treaty  rights  of  the  French.  'I'he  conseijuencc 
has  be(>n  that,  j)raetieally,  the  inhabitants  of  Newfoundland 
lia\('  been  excluded  from  half  their  own  territory,  which  is  still, 
to  a  great  extent,  a  mere  wilderness;  and  that  a  poiailation  of 
tters."  without  any  title  to  their  possessions,  and  living 
itside  the  pale  of  law,  was  allowed  to  grow  u[)  tluM-e  without 
iiiiy  civilizing  Inlluences.  'i'his  was  a  standing  grievance  gen- 
eration after  geiKU'atlon  ;  and  so  slow  has  \\w\\  tlie  iiian-h  of 
civiJi/afion  in  these  latitudes,  that  "the  S(|iiatter"  has  only  been 
brought  Avithin  Ihe  pale  of  law  and  order  during  the  [)asl  few 
years.  It  was  not  until  the  year  1878  that  a  inagistrate  was 
appointed,  with  the  eoiunrrenee  of  the  home  aulhoiities,  to 
ha\(>  jui'isdictioii  in  the  forlorn  district  Just  described;  and  it 
\vas  ouly  as  late  as  1881  that  the  locsil  government  was  em- 
powered to  issue  grants  of  land  and  mining  licenses  for  this 


anie 


locality. 


44 


XEWrOLWDLAXD. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

THE   FISIIEUY   RIGHTS   OF    FRANCE. 

[1728-17!);5.] 

Fifty  yoars  of  agitiition — Tlie  pionoors  hold  their  grround — Establislnnciit  of 
a  (,'<)urt  of  OycT  and  Tormiiier —  Warlike  oiierationa  ajj;ainst  the  Freiu'h  in 
Niirtli  America — F.nd  of  the  Seven  Years'  War  —  Social  disorders  and 
reli;^ious  persecution  —  ISritisli  and  French  concurrent  rij^hts  of  lisliinfi  — 
'i'lie  condition  of  Labrador  —  The  war  between  Kn^fland  and  America  ami  its 
inlliieiue  on  Newfoumlland — 'i'iie  peace  of  1782  —  Chiet"  Justice  Reeves 
—  Disputes  over  the  Treaty  of  Versailles  —  Laudgrant-  ;i:id  mining  licenses. 


Till:  history  of  Xcwi'oundliiiul  during  the  next  tiCty  years 
presents  a  series  of  ooiisttint  coullicts  1)et\veen  the  new  order  of 
thiii^rs  introduced  l)_v  the  a[)i)()intmeiit  of  ji  governor,  toii'ether 
with  the  rtidiuuMits  of  u  h)"al  elvil  ^ioverninent  on  the  one  si(U', 
!Uid  tile  old  r/'jiine  on  the  other.  For  man}''  years  tlie  go\cni- 
ors  foinid  tlieinselvcs  ahiiost  powerless  to  intrtxhieo  any  amelio- 
rtitioiis,  owing  to  the  notorious  sttitiito  of  William  HI.,  Mhieli 
Wiis  still  in  force,  and  the  determination  of  the  numopolists  and 
the  lishini!;  admirals  not  to  reeoirni/e  the  newly-cretiled  tmthor- 
ity,  or  to  ahate  the  exercise  of  their  arbitrary  powers.  The 
a])i)ointment  of  a  governor  and  jiistiees  of  the  peace  tdarmed 
the  monopolists,  whose  most  sti-emious  efforts  were  now  directed 
to  prevent  any  hiwl'id  ii-ithority  from  taking  root  in  the  island. 
The  conllict  i>otween  i!t"se  opposing  forces  lasted  for  mor(^ 
thiin  half  ti  century.  ll;ip[)il\',  the  IJi'itish  government  .  were 
now  lirm  in  tlu>ir  determination  not  to  withdraw  the  small 
nieasin-e  of  civil  governm  'nt  which  had  been  granted  to  the 
colony,  though  the  adhe;;  i.ls  of  the  old  syst(Mn  never  ceased 
il  "ir  hostile  representations  regartling  it,  and  (heir  jjetitions  to 
tin'  home  aiul.orities  to  have  it  altered  or  extinguished.  Slowly 
the  liglii  jire\ai..'il :  step  Ity  step  improvements  came.  Mean- 
tiiut    ihe  sill:' ring  [)eo[)le  had  to  suller  on,  mul"r  ti  cruel  and 


THE  FISHERY  RIGHTS    OF  FRANCE. 


45 


fliiiri'imt  misrule.  Life  was  Iriid  and  bittor  for  the  poor  "toil- 
ers ofthi^  sea,''  struiriiliiii;  to  oi^tain  a  t'ooiiuu'  in  the  now  land. 
Hxisliii'j:  on  suH'eranco,  tbrhiddon  io  cultiviui;  thosoil,  jn'ovcntcd 
(•\«Mi  iVom  erecting  a  staj^ci  f(»i'  imndlin;!,  tlu^ir  lish,  until  their 
loi'ds  and  masters  i'roni  Enixland  had  l)(>en  aceonunodatcd,  ihey 
were  ohllired  to  mortuau'c  their  industry  I'or  lidvances  of  the 
necessaries  of  life,  and  bend  their  hacks  to  a  hui'den  o''  debt. 
Still  tjiese  sturdy  pioneers  held  their  ground  and  Increased  in 
nuinl)er;-..  At  the  close  of  each  tisliini;  season,  some  who  had 
(•■imeout  from  iMiirlMiid  were  sure  to  remain  behind,  in  spite  of 
the  utmost  vigilance  of  ihe  captains  of  the  tisliinir-vesstds.  How 
the  women  vv'ere  smuggled  into  the  country  remains  a  mystery, 
'{'he  veiy  liardshi[)s  of  a  Newfoundland  career  had  i)<)ssil)l\-  at- 
tractions for  some  of  these  early  colonists.  There  was  a  spice 
of  .idventure  in  the  work  of  the  tini<\  and  none  of  the  restraints 
of  ci\ nidation.  Th(>  senses  of  freedom,  the  rich  treasures  from 
the  encomi)assing  seas  from  which  occasionally  vast  j)ri/.es  were 
drawn,  the  bracing  climate,  even  the  dangers  which  they  had 
constantly  to  confront  in  their  avocations,  followed  by  the  sea- 
son of  idleness  and  rough  enjoyment  in  winter  when  their  toils 
were  ended,  were  romantic  attractions  in  Ihe  eyes  of  many  a 
hardy  <ellow  in  those  early  days  (if  travel  and  adveituri!. 

Captain  Osliorne,  on  his  arrivtd,  set  to  work  \igorously  to 
carry  out  his  instructions.  lie  divided  the  island  into  distrii'ts, 
and  ap])ointed  in  each  of  them  jestices  of  the  pea<'e  and  eon- 
stai)les,  selected  from  the  best  classes  af  the  peo)  '.  To  dcv 
fray  the  cost  of  buildinga  jirlson  at  St.  John's  and  a  I'Vrryland, 
h"  ordered  a  rate  to  be  collected,  which  was  as-  sed  on  the 
boats  and  ship-rooms.  lie  erected  several  pair  nt  stocks  as  a 
terror  to  the  more  turbuleni  and  disor<l(>rly  of  i  population. 
This  was  the  work  of  one  season.  At  its  cIom'  tlio  governor 
relurned  to  England  to  sp(>nd  the  winter. — a  \  utiee  which  was 
followed  till  the  y(>ar  IHLS  by  these  naval  authorities,  who  \i^'\\- 
ci'ally  arrived  in  July  or  August,  and  left  in  the  latter  (ind  of 
( )i'lober.  The  presence  of  a  governor  only  during  two  or  three, 
nionlhs  ammally  wan  a  serious  drawback  to  Ihe  [iroper  working 
ol"  the  now  system.  The  magistrates,  who  were!  in  many  in- 
stances iirnorant  men,   and  all  of  them  ncnv  to  -i  eh  duti(>.s  as 


■I'  ]'-- 


:\^ 


40 


NEWFOCXDLAXD. 


they  li'ul  uiKli'rtak(!n,  woro  foimd  to  l)c  ol)cdieiit  to  tli(5  orders 
irivcii  thc'iu  only  so  loiii;  us  a  sii[)erioi'  w;is  Jit  hund.  It  wis  hXm) 
speedily  Ibiiiid  that  tlie  eai)tiiuis  of  the  fishing  ships,  the  lishing 
M(hnirals,  and  th(>  trachu's  were  fieively  opi)osed  to  the  exereise 
of  authority  ))y  the  justiees  whom  they  regarded  as  usurpers 
of  theii' own  olliees.  They  used  their  utmost  elforls  lo  liring 
(he  magistrates  into  eontempt,  and  to  impress  the  [)eoph'  with 
the  itU'a  that  their  a})})ointment  was  illegal.  Tlie  justices  of  St. 
.Folm's  presented  a  memorial  to  the  governor,  eomplaining  that 
they  wei'i!  o])stru('ted  in  their  duty  hy  the  fishing  admirals,  who, 
taking  ujjou  them  the  whole  i)ower  and  authority  of  the  justiees, 
e\('U  disputed  the  governor's  authority  in  ajjpoiuting  them. 
In  this  eonlliet,  Avhieh  went  on  for  years,  the  West-Country 
merehants  and  eajjtains  sui)i)ortcd  the  lishing  aihnirah.  and  the 
governor  st(;od  hy  tlu;  justiees.  A  fatal  mistake  had  Iteen 
niad(^  I»y  th(i  introduction  of  the  lunv  system,  through  "an  Order 
of  the  King  in  Council,"  instead  of  oI)taining  for  it  the  sanction 
of  an  Act  of  J'aiTiament,  The  lishing  admirals  pointed  to  the 
statute  of  William  as  thi^  source  of  their  authoi'ity  ;  whereas  they 
alleged  the  justiees  were  merely  the  creation  of  an  Oivh-rin 
Council.  The  home  authorities  being  appealed  to  hy  hoth 
l)arlies,  the  law-olUcers  of  the  Crown  were  called  on  lor  a 
decision.  The  opinion  of  the  attorney-general  of  the  day  was 
tiiat  the  whole  authority  granted  io  the  admirals  was  restrained 
to  seeing  the  rules  and  orders  contained  in  the  statute,  ooncern- 
i.ig  the  regulation  of  the  lisheries,  duly  executed;  whereas  the 
authority  of  the  justii^es  extended  only  to  l)reaeh(\s  ofthe  pence  ; 

's  given  hy  the 
ision  conierred 


Si)  thai  thei'o  was  no  interference  with  the  power 
Act  lo  (he  admirals,  hy  those  which  the  conuui.- 
on  th((  justiees.  Thus  there  was  assigned  to  each  a  separate 
s[)here  of  action.  The  dillicu'.ty  was  to  detine  the  I)()unds  of 
eai'h  jurisdiction.  'I'he  eohtest  went  on  l\)r  a  long  period.  At 
length  the  monopolists  and  the  admirals  became  convinced  that 
the  limited  civil  government  granted  to  the  inhabitants  would 
not  be  Avilhdrawn,  and  tluMr  clamor  and  opposition  in  a  great 
measuri'  ceased.  I'l'om  this  time  henceforth  the  lishing  ad- 
miials  gradually  gave  \\\>  the  contest,  and  eventually  their 
claims  of  authority  fell  into  well-merited  contempt. 


THE   FISHERY  UIGHTS   OF  FRANCE. 


47 


The  year  IToO  'witiios.sccl  another  impoi-tant  stej)  in  \\w  ex- 
tension of  eivil  govennnent.  Various  governors  Imd  repre- 
sented to  tlie  Uoard  of  Trade  the  great  ineonvenienee  resuhing 
from  sending  over  to  England  for  trial  all  persons  ehargei!  with 
having   eonunitted   eai)ital    iVlonies.       'M 


n    sueli    eases, 


ieeves, 


tl 


le    \s 


says 
itnesses  wen;  glatl  to  keep  out  of  I  lie  \va\'. 
'i"he  felon  was  sent  to  England,  without  any  person  to  prove 
liis  guilt;  a  great  e\;[)en-<e  was  ineurred ;  justiee  was  disa[)- 
pointed;  or,  if  the  faet  v/as  proved,  the  poor  witnesses  were 
lel't  to  get  back  as  they  eould,  with  the  (;x[)ense  of  their  voyaijje 


and  resKlenee 


an( 


I   tl 


le   e(!rtain    loss   of 


one  seasons  lisluiiir. 


The  representations  of  sueeessive  governors  on  this  suhjeet  at 


Icnii' 


th  n'su 


Ited 


in  a  e 


hanir 


e   lor  the  hetter  :   a 


nd  tl 


le  <'oinniission 


given  to  Captain  I'rancis  William  Drake,  in  1750,  eontained  a 
elause  empowering  him  to  ap[)oint  Conuuisbioiun-s  of  Oyer  and 
Terminer,  heibn;  whom  l'elon>  might  l)t'  tried  within  the  hounds 
of  the  eolony.       ^Vith  what  a  s[)aring  hand  this  measure  of  jus- 


t 


dealt  out 


Ited  fi 


lee  was  dealt  out  may  he  estmiaied  tron.  :uy  restrieHons  at- 
tached to  the  exereise  of  it.  The  govcrhor  was  prohil»ited 
from  holding  \iu)\\\  than  one  Couil  of  Oyer  and  Terminer  in  a 
year.  a!\d  that  only  when  he  was  n'sident  in  the  island  :  and 
from  exeeuting  any  sentenee  till  rei)ort  of  it  was  made  to  tlii> 
king.  Further  the  i)o\ver  of  trying  or  pardoning  treason  was 
not  entrusted  to  the  governor,  or  any  eourt  a[)pointed  l»y  him. 
Notwithstanding  these  restrietions  the  eourt  was  regarded  as  a 
great  advance,  and  it  [)r()ved  u  valuabh;  l>oon.  'JMie  lii'stofu 
scries  of  important  reforms,  it  inauguraled  a  new  era  of  eivil 
piogress,  —  a  progress  which  eanio  slowly  hut  surely. 

In  1754:  J^ord  Baltimore  [)resented  a  claim  to  he  put  in 
possession  of  the  southern  })ortion  of  the  island,  known  as  tlu; 
province  of  Avalon,  together  with  all  thiM'oyal  jurisdictions  nnd 
prerogatives  belonging  to  it,  as  secured  by  the  ovigiual  grant 
of  1(!2.'5.  The  claim  was  disallowed  by  the  law-oliicei>  of  the 
Crown,  on  the  ground  that  there  had  been  no  actual  possession 
of  the  [)n)vince  by  the  r)altiinor(>  family  since!  Ki.'iS,  nnd  that 
--ubsetpient  h^gislation  was  inconsistent  with  the  claim  now  set 
lip.  The  somewhat  ridiculous  demands  of  Lord  jjallimore, 
iliiis  disposed  (»f,   were  never  renewe(l. 


.  I 


^1 


Hi 


♦a 


48 


KE  WFO  CXDLAXD. 


Diiriiiii-  tlii!sc  years  war  had  been  raixini;-  hetwccn  Eniilaud 
and  Franco,  and  at  Icnutli  the  tide  rollc*!  near  Xewtbundland. 
The  connnandini;  iTcnius  of  l*itt  disccriKMl  tjic  vast  importanccM)!' 
slrikinii'a  hlowat  the  powcrot'tlic  French  in. North  America.  The 
I'anions  ex[)editi()n  ol"  17.')H  auainst  Lonishnri*',  then  (he  capital 
of  (ape  lirelon,  and  a  stronir  fortress  hehl  \)\  France,  was  com- 
pletely snccessfid,  and  the   island  was  yielded  to   England.      In 

as   second    in   connnand,   and    ureatly 


this    operation 


\Volf( 


\v 


di>tin!iiiished  himself  for  skill  and  conrau'e.  In  the  following; 
year,  an  expedition  for  llui  confjnest  of  Canada  was  oriranized, 
and  the  Mipreme  connnand  u'iven  to  ^Volf(^  There  is  no 
hriiiiiter  page  in  the  military  aimals  of  Fniiland  than  that  which 
rccoi'ds  the  captnre  of  (^nel»ec  and  the  heroic  death  of  the 
Knirlisli  gen(!ral.  Tin;  power  of  France  in  the  New  World  wa.s 
now  entirely  broken.  The  wliole  of  North  America  passed 
into  thi^  jjossossion  of  the   Urilish  Crown. 

Thonu'h  the  con<piest  ot'  Canada  was  now  coinj)U'te,  France 
still  clunir  to  the  idea  of  seizing  and  retidning  Newfonndland. 
The  connnercial  \alne  of  its  tisheries,  and  the  opportunities  it 
aifiJrded  as  a  training-school  \\n-  seamen,  wei'e  fully  understood 
by  the  French  authorities,  li  was  in  the  year  17(5"2  that  France 
M'ade  another  determined  I'llbrl  to  gain  possession  of  the  island. 
\  naval  expedition,  fitted  out  at  Brest,  succeeded  in  eluding 
till  I'ritisl,  cruisers,  and  a  strong  force  was  landed  at  tlu'  Ua}' 
ot"  Ihdls,  {w(>nly  miles  south  of  St.  flolnfs.  Thence,  by  a 
march  overland,  the  enemy  surprised  and  overpowerecl  the 
garrison.  'I'hey  then  proceeded  to  strengthen  the  fortifications 
ot'the  eity,  and  to  secure  themselves  in  their  iiosscssions.  The 
go\('rnor  was  absent  during  this  victorious  advcMiture  of  the 
French.  On  his  leturn  v()yag(^  to  the  island  he  was  met  by  a 
sloop,  carrying  information  of  what  had  ha[)|)ened.  l»y  this 
slo(»|)  he  sent  despatche-  to  the  coinmaiuh'r  at  I  lalifax.  Lord 
Colville,  who  immediately  sailed  with  a  strong  naval  force  to 
St.  .lohn's,  and  blockaded  the  harbor  wlier(>  tlu;  French  tlect 
lay.  .M(>antinie,  tiie  governor.  Captain  Craves,  laiuled  at 
Placeiilia,  and  ))ut  the  fortifications  there  in  a  proper  condition 
of  detence.  Lord  Cohille  was  spiH'dily  joined  by  Colonel 
\niherst,    at  the   head   of  eight    huniired   men,   most  of  them 


rilK   FISHER  y  RIGHTS    OF  FRAXCE. 


49 


lliiililand 


cr. 


Tl 


10 


so   galliuit    li'()()i)s    were    laixlcil   at    Toi-Ikiv, 


'y 


.-(•veil  iiiik's  norlh  of  St.  Jolm's,  and  liad  to  lii:lit  \\\v'w  wi 
(lir;)iii:!i  a  very  riiufLrod  ooimtry  in  order  to  assail  the  Frciioli 
garrison  wlio  liold  tho  oai)ital.  liiit  nothing;  could  willistaiul 
llio  ardor  of  tho  Iliuhlaudoiv.  Siii'ial  Hill,  which  overlooks 
and  eoininaiids  tho  city,  was  ean'ie<l  hy  assault.  Tho  Freiioh 
ilert  wei'o  sluit  lu  the  liai'hor  l)y  Colville's  hlookadiuijj  foroo. 
A  -liriu.  howe\-ei-,  aro>e.  ^\•!lie!l  dro\  e  off  the  Knulish  shii)s. 
I'^ivoi'cd  liy  a  four,  the  French  jiut  to  sea  and  esca|)e<l.  The 
tiani-dii,  after  a  brief  sti'utiirlo,  surrendei-ed,  on  condition  that 
the  troops  >hould  lie  con\ cyetl  to  !•' ranee.  'I'lu;  Froni'li  wci'c  tiuis 
for  ilie  last  tiiuo  sunnnarily  ex|ielied  from  Newfoundland. 

The  same  year  which  saw  tin;  French  ]h)\\\  triuni|)hant  and 
dcreatiMJ  at  St.  John's,  inauLiurated  iieu'otiations  tor  ueaco 
he; ween  the  tw(j  (ii'cat  Powers,  and  on  Fi'l)ruary  ]ii,  17(i;>, 
the  Seven  Voar.s'  ^^'ar  came  to  an  end  with  tho  famous  Treaty 
of  Paris, 

An  o] )i)0i1  unity  was  now  ofForcd  for  tonninatinii:  the  li-hi>rv 
jjrivileires  conoodod  to  the  French,  on  a  portion  of  the  \ew- 
foimdland  coast,  h\  tin;  Treaty  of  Utroeht  ;  ))ut,  luifortunately, 
instead  of  .securinu-  the  island  to(Jroat  P>ritain,  free  from  anv 
nse  of  its  shores  by  the  French,  the  Treaty  of  Paris  contirnH'd 
and  I'xleiKh'd  the  riiihts  of  the  French  i^'ranted  b_^-  formor 
treaties.  Tho  islands  of  St.  Pierre  an<l  Mi(iuelon,  on  the  coast 
of  Newfoundland,  were  traiist'erred  to  France,  as  a  shelter  for 
hi>r  ti>hennen,  on  condition  Ijiat  no  fortilieutions  wore  to  1»c 
(Tceted.  and  that  only  a  uuard  of  jifty  men,  for  police  purposes, 
siiowld  be  maintained  there.  Tliis  jiorix'tnated  nmch  of  the  old 
nii>eliief,  and  stronuthened  the  hold  of  tho  Freinhonthe  i>land, 
hi  connection  with  tlu'ir  ti>heries. 

It  is  worth  recordinir  here  that  on  board  one  of  the  \-essel>  (jf 
Loi'd  Colville's  tloi't,  when  it  came  to  reca[)ture  Xewtbundland 
iVoni  the  French,  was  the  afterwards  famous  ('aptain  .lames 
Cook,  who  was  destined  to  become  one  ot'  FuLdand's  L:reatest 
■-ailors.  II(>  had  entered  the  na\y  as  a  common  sailor,  and  had, 
at  lliis  time,  risen  to  be  master  of  the  "  Xorthumiierland."  Cap- 
tain (iraves,  then  uovernor  of  Xewt'oiindland,  formed  a  liinh 
o[)iiii,in  of  (\)ok,  and  seciiied   for  him  the  conduct  of  a  na\al 


50 


XEWFOUXDLAND. 


sufvcv  of  X('\vf(niM(ll;iii(l.     This  apjjointiuont  was  conliniicd  in 


17(!4,  iiiKlcr  Governor  Sir  Iliiirh  Pallisor.     As  inariiu 


nu'vo^-or 


of  Xcwfouiidland  and  Lal)rador  Captain  Cook  siXMit  three 
years  in  inaUini:^  charts  of  the  coasts  and  the  surroundinir  seas, 
The-^c  charts  arc  found  to  ho  marvellously  accurate,  even  when 
the  work  is  done  over  auain  with  the  improved  instrmnents  of 
the  present   day 


In  tl 


ns  anUious 


service  Cook  won  his  iirst 


laurels,  and  proved  himself  an  able  mathematician.  He  lel"t 
Xewfonndland  in  17(!7  to  take  charire  of  an  expedition  to  the 
South  Seas.  His  subset(uent  career  as  a  courageous  and  skilful 
nrivigator  and  exi)lorer  is  well  known. 

J>y  the  treaty  of  ITf'i.*]  (Ireat  IJritain  acquired  a  totality  of 
empire  in  North  America  extending  from  Hudson's  Bay  to  the 
mouths  of  the  Mississipj)i.  In  order  to  establish  a  free  fishery, 
open  to  British  subjects,  upon  the  coast  of  Labrador,  the  whole 
of  that  coast,  from  the  Kiver  St.  .lohn's  to  Hudson's  Straits, 
was  [)laced  under  the  care  of  the  governor  of  Xewfonndland, 
whose  title  henceforth  was  to  Ix^  "  Governor  and  Commander- 
in-Chi(d"  in  and  over  the  island  of  Xewfoundhmd,  in  Xoilh 
Ameiica,  and  of  all  the  coast  of  Labrador,  from  the  entrance 
of  lliulson's  Straits  to  the  River  St.  John's."  This  addition 
conferred  increased  importance  on  the  government  of  the 
colony. 

A  census  was  taken  at  the  close  of  the  year  17nr»,  from 
which  it  ai)[)eared  that  the  total  popidation  of  the  island  was 
l.'),112.  ( )f  thes(j,  7, .■)()()  were  persions  who  resided  permanently 
in  th(^  i-land,  and  l,7'J5  of  them  were  Roman  Catholics,  most  of 
whom  had  emigrated  thither  from  Ireland.  The  increase  in 
the  resident  population,  in  spite  of  all  discoin'agements,  was 
very  marked.  TIk^  cod-lishery  Avas  in  a  thriving  condition, 
38<i,27 1  (piintals  of  cod  having  be(>n  made  in  that  year,  of 
whii'h  two-thirds  had  been  caught  and  cured  by  the  resident 
inhabitants  of  the  ishnid.  liesides,  (!!)  t  tierces  of  saluuju  and 
1  ,r)'.)(S  lous  of  train-oil  were  exi)orted.  Four  hundred  sail  of 
\essels  carried  on  the  trad(>  with  the;  mother-country  and  British 
America.  The  intm-coursis  with  Ireland  at  this  time  was 
considerable,  and  large  (juantities  of  tisli  were  sent  to  Bel- 
fast, Cork,  and  "W'att'rford.     A  whale  and  walrus  lishery  was 


THE  FISHERY  RIGHTS   OF  FRAXCE. 


51 


tan-ieJ  on  iii  the  Gulf  of  St.  Luwrence,  and  upon  the  coast  of 
Labrador. 

AVhile  the  resident  population  was  thus  inereasiiii;,  the  eivil 
;_f{)\c'rnuient  reeei\'ed  some  very  important  additions  ealculated 
to  slremrthen  the  eoloiiy.  In  ITiU,  on  the  representation  of 
the  Uoard  of 'J'rade,  a  collector  and  controller  of  the  customs  of 
Newfoundland  was  appointed;  and  in  the  foUowiiiir  year  the 
na\  illation  laws  were  extended  to  the  i.^land,  and  it  was  now 
formally  declared  to  be  one  of  His  Majesty's  "  i)lantations,"  or 
colonies.  This  was  a  fatal  blow  to  the  old  system,  by  which  it 
was  kept  merely  as  a  tishiuir-station,  for  the  use  of  the  li^hery 
n]()no[)olists.  Those  interested  in  sustaininir  tin;  old  order  of 
allairs  made  a  stout  rt-sistance  to  this  innovation,  (juestioninij; 
its  legality  on  the  <rround  that  it  did  not  rest  on  the  authority 
of  an  Act  of  Parliament,  and  was  oi)i)Osed  to  the  Statute  of  1<> 
and  11  AVilliam  III.,  which  made  it  a  free  ti.shery.  Petitions  and 
memorials  were  poured  in  by  the  m<  ichants  auainst  tlu'  pay- 
ment of  custom-house  duties  ;  but  the  Home  (iovernment  was 
firm,  and  their  clamor  had  no  elfect,  thouuh  it  was  kei)t  n()  for 
many  years.  The  establishment  of  a  custom-house  and  the 
enforcement  of  the  navitration  laws  proved  to  be  two  important 
pillars  added  to  the  civil  ir'overumcnt  of  the  island. 

The  social  condition  of  the  resident  [)0[)ulation  at  this  j)eriod, 
thouji'h  somewhat  modilied  for  the  better  by  late  enactnicnt>. 
was  still  deploral)le,  and  calculated  to  retard  settlement  in  the 
country.  The  administration  of  justice,  esi)ecially  in  the  out- 
lying' places,  was  characterized  by  irross  partiality,  the  resident 
mauistrates  l)eini>",  in  many  cases,  incompistent  men,  and  too 
often  oi)eu  to  bribery.  The  lishermen  obi  lined  advance^  in 
sup[)lies  of  necessary  articles  of  food  and  clothinij;  at  the  com- 
mencement of  each  lishing'  s«'ason,  the  charges  being  so  high 
that  at  the  close  little  remained  of  their  wagi's  to  carry  tin  ni 
through  the  winter.  Another  source  of  demoralization  was 
that  employei's  freely  supplied  their  own  servants  with  intoxi- 
cating li(]uors  at  a  high  i)rice,  taking  care  to  reimburse  them- 
selvi's  out  of  their  wages  for  these  articles,  as  well  as  for 
neglect  of  duty  which  mkIi  i)ractices  rendered  extremely  fre- 
<|uent.     When    accounts   were  balanced   between  masters  and 


U, 


<, 


'U 


I 


i 


I  If 

,(( 

■I 


**lf||!|r! 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-S) 


// 


v^    J 


^^ 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


|20 
1^ 


.5 
2.2 

■-    III 

III!  1.8 


1.4 


1.6 


V2 


e 


/a 


°^^ 


^?. 


>  :> 


A 


'/ 


/(^ 


Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


33  WEST  MAIN  STRUT 

WEBSTCR,N.Y.  14580 

(716)  873-4S03 


^ 


\\ 


V 


;\ 


<^ 


^^  ^.. 


'ij.^ 


^ 


6 


Ill 


i'  Si 


1/^:'. 


')2 


NE  WFO  VXD  LAND. 


sorvants,  at  the  close  of  the  fishing  season,  the  latter  too  often 
found  themselves  in  debt  to  the  former.  lieing  without  em- 
|)h)Vin(!nt,  and  utterly  destitute,  many  took  advantage  of  trad- 
ing vess(ds  flora  New  P^nsfland,  to  leave  the  island  for  the  con- 
tinent  of  America;  whilst  those  who  remained  were  often 
tcmjitcd  1)y  want  to  commit  thefts  or  acts  of  violence,  or 
()l)lig('(l,  if  they  could  find  masters,  to  hire  themselves  on  any 
terms  for  the  ensuing  season,  in  order  to  obtain  the  means  of 
sul)sistence.  It  was  a  common  practice  at  this  time  to  attach 
or  stop  the  servants'  wages  in  their  masters'  hands,  at  any  time 
dui'ing  the  fishing  season,  for  debts  contracted  to  the  publicans, 
or  for  balances  claimed  by  their  former  employers. 

To  these  social  disorders  was  added  the  Ititter  ingredient  of 
religious  persecution,  directed  against  those  who  held  the 
Roman  Catholic  faith,  and  who  now  formed  a  very  considerable 
proportion  of  the  po[)ul  ition.  The  intercourse  with  Ireland 
had  led  to  the  settlement  in  Xcwfoundland  of  numbers  of  Irish, 
who  had  lied  from  the  ippression  ol"  the  penal  laws.  To  tlu; 
shame  and  disgrace  of  I'rotestantism  these  exiles  arrived  in 
Newfoundland  only  to  I'lnd  that  tlu;  spirit  of  })ersocution  was 
rami^ant  even  in  that  distant  colony.  All  govermnent  officials, 
l)efore  being  installed,  were  obliged  to  sign  a  declaration  in 
which  they  abjured  the  distinctive  tenets  of  Catholicism.  In 
IT")."*,  (lovernor  Darrell,  finding  that  numbers  of  peoi)le  still 
continue'i  to  arrive  from  Ireland,  issued  a  proclamation  com- 
manding all  masters  of  v<\ssels,  who  brought  out  Irish  passen- 
jKM's.  to  cai'ry  them  back  at  the  close  of  th(5  fishiui":  season.  A 
s))ecial  tax  was  levied  on  Koman  Catholics,  and  the  celebration 
of  tlu^  mass  was  mad(>  a  penal  offence.  A  few  disguised 
priests  had  come  out  in  fishing-vessels  to  minister  in  secret 
among  their  co-religionists;  but,  owing  to  flu;  strict  surveil- 
lance of  the  local  government,  they  had  no  fixe(l  abode,  and 
could  not  safcdy  remain.  The  s(>verity  which  l\oman  Catholic-- 
experienced  at  the  hands  of  the  authorities  will  best  be  under- 
stood by  a  reference  to  some  of  the  |(>gal  records  of  the  jieriod. 
A  court  was  held  at  Harbor  Main,  S(>ptember  25,  17.'),'),  .-it 
which  an  order  was  issued  to  the  miigistrat»>s,  connnanding 
that  a  ('(M'tain  individual   who  had  permitted  a  Koman  Catholic 


w«. 


THE  FISHERY  RIGHTS    OF  FRANCE. 


53 


priest  to  celebrate  muss  in  one  of  liis  "  liish-roonis  or  storc- 
liouscs,  he  l)"ing  present  himselt',  wliich  is  eonlniry  to  liiw,  Jind 
apiiust  our  sovertMgn  lord  the  King,  should  he  lined  in  the 
sum  of  £50,  and  that  the  lish-rooni  in  which  mass  was  said 
should  he  demolished,  and  that  the  owner  should  s<!U  all  his 
poss(!ssions  and  (piit  the  harbor."  Another  who  was  present  at 
the  same  celebration  was  lined  in  the  sinn  of  £2U,  inid  had  his 
house  and  sta<»e  l)urned  to  the  <iround.  Others  who,  thouiih 
not  [jresent  at  mass  in  Harbor  Main,  avowed  themselves  Roman 
Catholics,  were  lined  £10  each,  and  ordiu'ed  to  leave  the  settle- 
ment. The  same  penalties  were  inllicted  elsewhere,  and 
wherever  it  was  known  that  a  mass  had  been  celel)rated  the 
place  was  ordered  to  be  burned  or  demolished,  as  though  a 
curse  clung  to  the  very  walls.  We  need  not  be  surprised  at 
these  manilestations  of  tlu;  si)irit  of  religious  persecution,  when 
we  rememl)er  how  little  the  princii)les  of  religious  freedom  wei'<! 
uiuU'rstood  or  [)ractised  in  (ireat  liritain  at  the  same  period; 
and  how,  under  the  penal  laws  in  Ireland,  Itoman  Catholics 
were  prohibited  from  educating  their  children,  or  acc^uiring 
frcch(jld  i)roperty,  and  were  excluded  from  all  the  liberal  [)r()- 
fcssious  ;  while,  if  the  .son  of  a  Catholic  became  a  Protestant, 
he  couhl  dispossess  his  father  of  the;  fee-8im})]e  of  his  estate  as 
a  reward  for  his  conversion.  Persecution  was  the  vice  of  the 
age,  and  was  practised  by  ali  parties  in  turn  wlien  the  op[)or- 
timiiy  oll'ered.  This  licensed  hostility  towards  Catholics  in 
.Newfoundland  coutinniid  for  nearly  half  a  century,  and  was  at 
K'ugih  endcid  by  a  royal  proclamation  in  1781,  whereby  liberty 
of  conscience  was  granted,  and  the  free  exercise  of  modi's  of 
religious  worshii).  liut  the  sjjirit  of  ri'ligious  intolerance  did 
not  die  out  at  once.  Six  years  after  this  j)rot'Iamalion,  in 
IT'.K),  we  lind  Governor  Mi!l»anke  maUing  the  following  reply 
to  the  liev.  Dr.  O'Doimell,  who  api)lied  for  leave  to  build  a 
Uuman  Catholic  chapel  in  an  ontport  :  "The  (Jovernoraetjuaints 
.Mr.  O'Donnell  that,  so  far  from  bi-ing  disposed  to  allow  of  an 
increase  of  places  of  religious  worshii)  for  the  lioman  Catholics 
of  the  island,  ho  very  seriously  intends  next  year  to  lay  those 
established  already  under  i)articular  restrii'tions.  Air.  O'Don- 
nell must   be  aware  that   it   is  not  the  interest  of  Great  Britain 


•i 


M3 


54 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


to  oncourairo  pooplo  to  wintor  in  XowfbiindlaiKl,  and  ho  cannot 
be  iiiiiorant  that  many  of  the  lower  order  who  woidd  now  stay. 
would,  if  it  wen?  not  for  the  eonvenieneo  witli  which  they  ob- 
tain ai)sohition  here,  go  homo  for  it,  at  h^ast  once  in  two  or 
thn^e  years;  and  the  Governor  has  Ihmmi  misinformed  if  Mr. 
O'Donnell,  instead  of  advising  Iiis  hc^arers  to  return  to  Ireland, 
does  not  rather  encourage  them  to  winter  in  this  country.  — 
On  hoard  the  "  Salisl)ury,"  St.  John's,  November  2d,  17!l()."' 
Such  was  the  condition  of  society  in  Xowfoundland  only  ninety- 
two  years  asjo  I  Settlers  were  still  reufarded  in  the  liirJit  of 
intruders,  religious  toleration  was  only  begiiming  to  dawn. 
The  stormy  ocean  alone  was  free  to  the  |)eoi)le,  and  on  its  ))re- 
carious  harvests  they  had  to  subsist.  The  wealth  which  their 
toil  won  from  the  dei'p  did  not  remain  in  the  island,  I)ut  went 
to  enrich  other  comitries.  A\'e  camiot  but  admire  the  energy 
of  a  people  who,  amid  these  discouragements  and  tyraimies, 
continued  to  cling  to  the  soil,  l)ravely  pioneering  the  way  for 
hap])ier  generations  to   come. 

The  y(>ars  following  the  Treaty  of  Paris,  in  1 7(53,  were  marked 
by  a  decided  increase  in  the  jn'oducts  of  the  Newfoundland 
fisheries,  which,  in  ITt!'),  amounted  to  41)3, (!54  ((uintals,  being 
an  incr(>ase  in  two  years  of  14r),3(!r)  (piintals  of  codtish.  In 
17()4,  NewfouiKiIand  was  fortunate  enough  to  have  a})pointed  to 
the  governorship.  Captain,  bettor  known  as  Sir  Hugh  Palliser, 
who  presided  over  its  affairs  for  four  ^cars.  A  nian  of  capacity 
and  conscientiousness,  ho  devoted  himself  earnestly  to  a  study 
of  the  tisheries  and  the  condition  of  the  inhabitants.  IIo  soon 
recognized  \\w  sufferings  to  which  the  resid(Mit  population  were 
sul)jected,  and  his  humanity  led  him  patiently  to  investigate 
the  causes  and  to  devist;  remedies  for  them.  His  first  care  w;is 
to  regulate  the  relations  which  existed  l)etween  Hritish  and 
French  subjects,  who  had  a  concurrent  right  of  Hshing  in  the 
waters  of  the  sanu;  coast,  tho  sovereignty  of  which  belonge(l 
to  Britain.  While  he  secured  tho  French  in  tho  exercise  of  ail 
the  rights  and  privileges  ac(]uired  by  tho  Treaties  of  Utreclit 
and  Paris,  and  orden^d  that  they  were  to  bo  allowed  to  pros- 
ecute tho  fishery,  within  the  limits  assigned  fluMU,  without 
molestation,  he  also  clearly  recognized  that  within  these   limit's 


THE  FISHER  Y  RIGHTS    OF  FRAXCE. 


55 


they  had  no  sui)oi'iority  ovor  British  tishcrmon,  jukI  no  oxchisivo 
rii:ht  whatever,  lie  suceo.sst'iillv  rcirulatcd  the  suhnon  lisherv, 
which  sul).s(!(jnGntIy  increased  greatly  in  extent  and  vahie. 
The  condition  of  Labrador  also  engaired  his  attention.  A 
miniher  of  Kurojx'ans  had  taken  np  tlieir  aliode  in  a  i)art  of 
this  territory,  and  hy  wantoidy  injuring  had  alienated  the 
unlives;  MJiilc  at  tlu;  same  time  nuich  confusion  had  arisen 
iVom  some  Canadians  who  claimed  to  have  vested  rights  over 
certain  tracts  of  land,  lie  personally  surveyed  the  district, 
;uid  l>y  various  wise  measures  he  greatly  modified  thes«;  local 
troubles,  and  received  tlu;  thaidvs  of  the  merchants  and  their 
iiL^cnts  on  the  coast  of  Labrador.  So  many,  however,  were 
the  ditliculties  and  dis[)utes  arising  from  the  former  connection 
of  the  country'  with  Canada,  tiiat,  in  177.'5,  it  was  deemed  advis- 
iibie  to  restore  Labrador  to  the  jurisdiction  of  that  provim-e. 
Previous  to  this  step,  (lovernor  Palliscr,  who  took  a  warm 
iiittu'est  in  the  P^scpiimaux  of  Labnidor,  issued  a  })assport  to 
four  of  the  brethren  of  the  Unitas  Fratrum,  or  ^loravians,  who 
wished  to  establish  missions  among  these  savages,  with  a  view 
to  their  <'onversion  to  Christianity.  All  His  Majesty's  subjects 
\\v\\\  connnanded  to  render  every  aid  and  friendly  assistance  to 
these  excellent  men,  whose  labors  have  been  attended  with  a 
iireat  amount  of  Christian  good  amongst  the  Escjuimaux  of 
Labrador. 

(iovernor  Palliser's  interest  in  Newfoundland  did  not  termi- 
nate with  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  oftiee.  lie  was  succeeded 
by  the  Honorable  Captain  John  Byron,  who  in  his  turn  was 
I'ollowed  by  Commodore  Mullineaux,  afterwards  Lord  Shuldham. 
r>iil  on  Palliser's  return  to  England  he  was  called  ui)ou  to  aid 
in  drawing  \\\)  an  Act,  now  loudly  called  for,  to  remedy  some 
of  the  more  crying  evils  of  tlu;  old  system.  This  new  Act  was 
passed  by  the  British  rarliament  in  1775.  It  is  (nititled  Stat- 
ute L3  GeoruoIlL,  c.  M.  In  the  ishmd  it  is  known  as  Pal- 
User's  Act.  Its  design  was  not  to  abolish  tlu^  (obnoxious 
Statute  10  and  11  "William  HI.,  but  to  remedy  some  of  its 
defects,  and  enforce  its  provisions  under  special  penalties.  It 
still  aimed  at  kee})ing  alive  the  principle  of  a  ship-lishery,  car- 
ried on  from  Enjjland.     In  order  to  secure  the   return  of  the 


fl 

II 


m 


i 


11 


I 

4 
'.I  I, 


'It.. 


I  if 


56 


XE  WFO  UXDLAND. 


itlii 


I  i 


fisliennoii  to  luiglaiid,  it  cmpowcrocl  the  masters  to  clolain  forty 
shillinirs  out  of  their  wair^'s  for  ])aviiiir  their  passa<;c  home.  It 
forhach;  masters  to  sillier  seamen  to  take  up  more  tlian  half 
their  waii'es  in  artieles  of  supi)ly,  and  obliged  them  to  i)ay  the 
other  half  in  eash  or  good  bills  on  England  or  Ireland.  It  gave 
the  (ishermen  a  lien  on  the  fish  and  oil  for  their  wages,  and 
provided  bounties  for  the  eneouragement  of  industry  in  the 
taking  of  lish.  These  were  undoubtedly  great  im[)rovem('nts, 
and  heljjed  to  terminate  the  contentions  between  mast(>rs  and 
servants,  seeurinu;  to  the  latter  their  wau^es  at  the  close  of  the 
fishing  season. 

The  records  of  this  iM>riod  show  that  the  resident  population 
Avent  on  steadilv  auirmentin<'.  In  addition  to  the  natural  in- 
crease,  Ireland  continued  to  send  emigrants  to  Xewfoundland  in 
considerable  numbers,  notwithstanding  the  disal)ilities  under 
which  the  adherents  of  Catholicism  still  labored.  Ilai'sh  iTgu- 
lations  against  the  Irish  were  enforced  by  successive  governors. 
One  of  thes(^  was  that  not  more  than  two  Roman  Catluilic  men 
should  dwell  in  one  house  during  the  winter,  except  such  a<  had 
Protestant  masters;  and  another  that  all  Roman  Catholic  chil- 
dren, born  in  the  country,  should  be  bai)tized  according  to  law. 
These  stringent  regulations,  however,  failed  to  deter  Irish  emi- 
gration from  the  old  country.  Xot  ouly  men,  and  women 
under  the  i)rotection  of  their  husbands,  but  even  Avomen  by 
themselves  arrived  at  St.  John's  every  sununer. 

In  si)ite  of  these  new-comers,  it  nnist  be  noted  that  whatever 
improvements  had  hitherto  taken  place,  the  country  was  still 
regarded  by  the  govermnent  in  the  light  of  a  mere  Fishery. 
There  was  as  yet  no  legal  i)rovision  for  the  acquisition  of  prop- 
erty' in  the  soil.  Only  the  tenii)orary  use  of  portions  of  lln' 
fchori'  for  fishery  i)uri)oses  was  allowed.  \o  one  could  lawfully 
own  any  portion  of  the  land  for  the  jmrposes  of  cullivalioii. 
It  was,  neverthcK'ss,  found  to  be  allogeth(>r  impractii'able  lo  try 
and  stoj)  some  of  the  settlers  from  enclosing  plots  of  groiuid  for 
irardens  or  pasture.  Xot  a  few  favored  individuals  I'Ncntuallv 
succeeded  in  obtaining  a  riM'ognition  of  their  right  of  [)rop(>rt\', 
in  such  enclosures,  from  the  governoi's.  After  a  time,  a  con- 
llicl  arose  between  these  so-called  private  rights  and  those  of 


THE  FISHERY  RIGHTS  OF  FRANCE. 


57 


ihc  mastoi's  of  Hsliiiig-vcssels  in  rci^ard  to  their  rospoi'tivc 
hoiiiuliirios.  The  result  was  uu  order  I'roiu  Governor  Palliser, 
(li.-^allowiiig  an}'  titles  to  land,  and  deelaring  that  ''  no  (it)vernor 
or  other  pcr.-on  having  l)een  empowered  to  pareel  out  antl  divide 
lands,  or  to  i)ass  patents  or  grants  for  lands  in  this  eountry,  the 
whole  must  l)e  deemed,  aceording  to  the  Fishing  Aet,  a  publie 
coinmon,  and  free  to  all  persons  to  eut  wood  for  the  uses  of  the 
fishery,  for  fuel,  ete.,  or  to  turn  cattle  upon,  or  to  eut  grass." 
Further,  it  was  ordered  that  "  if  any  person  hereinafter  shall 
presume  to  fence  or  to  enclose  any  lands,  contrary  to  this 
onUu',  all  persons  are  at  liberty  to  take  down  such  fences  or 
enclosur's." 

A  new  source  of  trouble  now  presentcnl  itself,  entailing  severe 
sntlerings  upon  thi;  whole  i)()i)uIation  in  connection  with  the  war 
I)('t\veen  Great  P>ritain  and  her  revolted  colonies  in  Xorth 
America.  This  war  which,  raging  for  seven  years,  terminated 
ill  17S2  with  England's  recognition  of  the  indei)endenee  of  the 
Fuited  States,  was  seriouslv  detrimental  to  the  interest  of  New- 
foimdiand.  The  first  Congress  passeil  a  decree,  on  the  ath  of 
S('[)teml)er,  1774,  forbidding  all  exports  to  the  British  posses- 
sions. This  blow  fell  with  sjjecial  severity  upon  the  resid(mt 
inhabitants  of  Newfoundland,  as  well  as  on  those  who  carried  on 
the  fishery  from  England,  as  for  a  lengthened  period  ihey  had 
been  accustomed  to  ol)tain  their  necessary  supplies  from  the 
New  Eni^land  States.  A  sudden  arrest  of  this  commercial  in- 
tcrcourse  threatened  the  colony  with  absolute  famine.  To  meet 
the  dillieulty  vessels  were  at  once  detached  from  the  fishery  and 
sent  to  Ireland,  in  ballast,  to  procure  provisions,  (floom  and 
despondency  prevailed  throughout  the  island,  coui)ledf()r  a  time 
with  scarcity  and  want.  American  privateers  appeared  off  the 
coasts,  and,  entering  the  harbors,  destroyed  a  great  deal  of 
viiliiabU'  pro[)erty.  They  wer(!  eventually  held  in  cheek  l)y  the 
English  cruisers,  which  cai)tured  or  burnt  not  a  few  of  them; 
hut  the  war,  nevertheless,  infiicted  great  hardshi[)  and  inconven- 
ience upon  Xewfoundland.  To  add  to  the  trials  of  the  people, 
in  177.")  one  of  the  most  severe  storms  ever  known  in  those  lati- 
tudes swept  over  the  island.  Ihuub'eds  of  rishing-l)oats  wtu'c; 
tk'stroycd,  mauy  great  ships  went  l)y  the  board,  and  not  fewer 


^i 

bflii 

HI^HIt 

life 


r 

1 

li 

1 

^■H 

\ 

P 

58 


NE  WFO  UNDLAXD. 


\  \ 


than  three  hundred  men  perished.  The  sea  suddenly  rose 
twenty  feet  above  its  usual  level,  causini^  immense  destruction 
on  land,  as  well  as  in  the  harbors.  To  this  distress,  arising  from 
natural  causes,  were  addiid  sulferings  from  the  want  of  sup- 
plies which  had  been  cut  olf  by  the  war. 

The  attention  of  successive  governors  was  mainly  taken  up 
in  providing  for  the  safety  of  the  capital,  and  the  protection  of 
the  country  generally.  In  this  they  wore  loyally  aided  and 
supported  by  the  great  majority  of  the  people.  At  various 
points  which  were  specially  cx^)0sed,  they  constructed  batteries, 
mounted  guns  and  manned  them.  The  defences  of  St.  Joini's 
were  greatly  strengthened.  A  now  fort,  called  Fort  Towns- 
hend,  was  erected  on  a  height  commanding  the  harbor  from  its 
north-western  side.  The  garrison  consisted  of  459  regular  sol- 
diers and  200  volunteers,  and  1,500  stand  of  arms  were  sent 
out  from  England,  and  distributed  in  the  various  harbors,  so  as 
to  enal)lo  the  people  to  defend  themselves.  Ships  of  war  were 
kept  constantly  cruising  around  the  coast.  When,  in  1778, 
France  Joined  the  United  States,  and  agreed  to  support  thom  in 
their  struggle  for  independence,  IJoar-Admiral  Montague,  then 
governor  of  Newfoundland,  captured  the  islands  of  St.  Pierre 
and  Mi(|uelon,  and  sent  1,932  of  the  French  inhabitants  homo 
to  their  native  country. 

The  unhappy  war  between  England  and  her  North  American 
colonies  terminated  in  the  jmaco  of  17H2,  and  the  acknowlinlg- 
ment  of  the  independence  of  the  United  States.  This  inti'o- 
duced  a  change  for  the  better  in  Newfoundland.  Its  trade  and 
industries  revived.  The  pojjulation  were  no  longer  harassed  by 
privateers  and  the  dread  of  invasion.  Vice-Admiral  John 
Cami)bell  was  appointed  governor.  lie  proved  to  be  a  man  of 
an  enlightened  and  of  a  liberal  spirit.  To  him  the  people  wore 
indel)ted  for  terminating  religious  intolerance  and  persecution. 
In  1784  he  issued  an  order,  addressed  to  the  magistrates 
throughout  the  island,  which  left  no  room  for  doubt  or  cavil. 
"  Pursuant  to  the  king's  instructions  to  me,"  ran  this  manifesto, 
"you  ari'  to  allow  all  persons  inhabiting  this  island  to  have  full 
liberty  of  conscience,  and  the  free  exercise  of  all  such  modes  of 
religious  worship  as  are  not  prohibited  by  law,  provided  they  bo 


THE  FISHERY"  RIGHTS    OF  FRAXCE. 


59 


(•( 


)iil>iil  with  a  quiet  and  peaceable  eujoyDieiit  of  the  same,  not 
i^iviiiu'  otl'ence  or  scandal  to  Government."  The  year  which 
>,i\\  this  happy  change  brought  the  Rev.  Dr.  O'Donnell,  a 
K()iii:iii  Catholic  clergyman,  to  the  islainl,  with  full  liberty  to 
pcrfonn  all  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  his  church.  For  a 
iiiiMilicr  of  years  he  was  the  only  Prefect  Apostolic,  that  is,  a 
l)ricst  exercising  episc()[)al  jurisdiction,  in  Newfoundland  ;  and 
it  W!is  not  till  17J)()  that  Dr.  O'Donnell  was  consecrated  Vicar 
Apostolic  of  the  island  and  IVishop  of  Thyatira  in  j^ffibiiM. 
He  was  the  first  regular  authorized  Uoman  Catholic  missioner  in 
the  isliuid  after  it  l)ecanie  a  purely  British  settlement. 

In  17<S(>  Kear-Admiral  Elliot  was  appointed  governor  of 
the  ishnid,  and  in  the  same  year  His  Koyal  Highness  Prince 
^Villiinn  Henry,  afterwards  King  ^Villiam  IV.,  visited  New- 
foiindlaiid  in  His  Mnjesty's  ship  "Pegasus,"  of  which  he  was 
c!ipt;iiii.  and  which  lay  for  sonic  time  in  theharI)or  of  Placentia. 
The  expenses  of  the  civil  govcrnnii.':it  of  the  island  at  this  time 
were  very  moderate,  amounting  to  no  more  than  £1,1<S2  per 
iiiinuni,  of  which  £aOO  was  appropriated  as  the  governor's 
salary.  The  tisheries  meantime  were  increasing,  the  return 
for  1 78")  showing  that  .')!)!, 27(5  (piintals  of  dried  codtish  were 
shipped  to  foreign  markets.  Connnercial  intercourse  with  the 
United  States  of  America  was  resumed  at  this  time,  and  an 
Act  was  passed  permitting  the  importation  of  bread,  corn,  and 
hvc  stock  from  the  States,  but  only  in  British  vessels. 

^Vc  have  seen  how  the  authority  of  the  tishing  admirals 
,i:r:i(liiiilly  came  to  an  end;  the  commanders  of  the  king's 
sliips,  who  visited  the  island  in  sunnner,  assuming  the  admin- 
islrntion  of  justice,  and  holding  courts  in  which  all  causes  of 
coiiiphiints  wore  determined.  The  governor  gave  to  these 
coniininiders  the  title  of  Surrogates,  their  oflice  implying  that 
tlicy  had  been  legally  deputied  by  the  governor  to  act  as  his 
deputies.  Under  this  character  the  authority  of  the  governor 
was  bcMieficially  exercised.  The  Courts  of  Session,  comi)oscd 
of  the  justices  of  the  j)caco  for  the  several  districts,  adminis- 
tered justice  in  the  absence  of  th'  commanders  during  the  wiji- 
ter  season.  The  Vice- Admin  ity  Court,  established  in  17(j.5, 
had  boon  gradually  extending  its  jurisdiction,  till  it  assumed 


••  ■  HI 


m 


I 


4^  Vf 


i  n 


60 


NEWFOUXDLAND. 


t. 


the  right  to  adjudicate  in  inattor.s  of  del)t  and  others  of  a  civil 
nature.     A  new  Act  was  now  passed   (20  George  III.,  c.  2tl), 
continuing  tlie  bounties    on    tiie    fisheries    for  ten  years,  iiiid 
abridging  tlie  powers  of  tlie  Court  of  Viee-Adniiralty.     To  tlic 
latter   arrangement    a    bold    and    i)ertinaeious    resistance  was 
made  ;  and  at  length  it  was  found  necessary  to  i)ut  an  end  to 
the  whole  of  the  judicature  of  Surrogates,  Courts  of  Session, 
and  Vice-Admiralty,  which  rested  on  very  weak  foundations. 
After  a  variety  of  imperfect  attempts,  an  Act  was  i)assed  in 
171)2,  creating  a  Supreme  Court  of  Judicature  of  the  Ishuul  of 
Newfoundland,  with  full  power  to  hold  plea  of  all  crimes  and 
misdemeanors,  and  to  determine  suits  and  comi)laints  of  a  civil 
nature,  according  to  the  law  of  England,  as  far  as  it  was  api)li- 
calde.       This  court  was  to  l)e  under  a  chief  justice  api)i)inti(l 
by  His  iNIajesty.     Power  was  also  given  by  the  same   Act  to 
the  governor  to  constitute    courts  of  civil  jurisdiction,  to    be 
called  Surrogate  Courts,  in  other  parts  of  the  island.     Chief 
Justice  Reeves,  a  man  of  sound  legal  knowledge  and  extensive 
ac(|uirements,  was  sent  out  to  open  the  Supreme  Court.     lie 
was  instructed  to  report  to  the  British  Government  on  the  con- 
dition of  the  country,  so  as  to  furnish  facts  and  figures  which 
mi^ht  be  useful  in  future  lei2;islation.     lie  i)ul)lished  a  work 
under  the  title  of  "  A  History  of  the  Government  of  Newfound- 
land," which  is,  as  far  as  it  goes,  the  al)lest  and  most  trust- 
worthy book  on  the  country.     The  outcome  of  his  reports  was 
another  Act   of  Parliament,   passed    in    1793,  by   which    the 
Su[)reme  Court  was  established,  and  in  1800  was  made  perpet- 
ual, together  with  the  Courts  of  Judicature  instituted  under  it. 
The  constitution  of  a  Supreme   Court   marked  a  new  era   in 
Newfoundland,  and  terminated  that    confusion    and    continual 
contention  which  had  previously  marked  the  administration  of 
justice,  and  been  productive  of  innumerable  evils.     Among  the 
benefactors  of  Newfoundland,  Chief  Justice  Reeves  deserves  to 
hold  a  foremost  place.      In  his  masterly  history  of  the  gov- 
ernment he  faithfully  and  fearlessly  laid  bare  the  causes  of  the 
evils  which  atliicted  the  country.     He  ])roved,  with  conclusive 
logic  and  apt  illustrations,  that  the  ascendency  so  long  main- 
tained l^y  a  mercantilo  monopoly,  for  narrow  and  selfish  pur- 


THE  FISHERY  RIGHTS   OF  FRAXCE. 


fil 


noses,  had  prevented  the  settk'inent  of  the  coimtiy,  the  dcvel- 
()|»iii('iil  of"  its  resources,  and  the  estahlishnient  of  a  proper 
svstcni  for  the  achniiiistration  of  justiee.  No  other  British 
coloiiy  liail  ever  been  deah  with  on  the  cruel  lines  laid  down 
tor  Newfoundland.  Chief  Justice  Reeves  exhihited  that  fact  in 
.slroMi,'  colors,  II(!  sIiowcmI  also  that  the  aihninistration  of  its 
internal  all'airs  hsid  I)een  of  the  most  inetlicient  description, 
hecMiise  the  merchant  adventurers  wished  to  keep  all  power  in 
tlicii'  own  hands,  and  to  exclude  all  competition  from  without 
(11'  witliin.  The  changes  Chief  Justice  Keeves  etlected  in  the 
iidiuinistration  of  justice  were  most  heneticial ;  hut  custom  is  so 
(lillicult  to  chani^e  that  it  was  not  till  1H:>1  that  an  Act  was 
|i:i>sc(l  comi>letely  abolishing  the  old  anomalous  Surrogate 
and  Sessions  Courts,  and  ai)pointing  two  judges  to  assist  the 
Cliief  Justice.  The  island  was  then  divided  into  three  dis- 
tricts, in  each  of  which  a  court  was  appointed  to  l)e  held  every 
ycai'. 

I'x'fore  })assing  on  from  this  period  it  is  important  to  recall 
tiic  fact  that  the  Treaty  of  A'ersailles,  concluded  in  ITS,'}, 
cllcclfd  an  imi)ortant  change  in  the  boundaries  of  that  i)ortion 
of  the  coast  of  Xewfoundland  on  which  the  French  [)()ssessed 
ccrlaiii  Hshery  privileges  by  virtue  of  the  treaty  of  Utrecht. 
All  the  stipulations  of  the  latter  agreement  were  c()ntirme(l  with 
one  exce})tion,  namely,  that  the  King  of  France;  renounced  the 
right  of  lishing  from  Capo  IJonavista  to  Cape  St.  John,  granted 
him  by  the  Treaty  of  Utrecht,  so  as  to  prevent  quarrels  \vhich 
had  hitherto  arisen  between  the  two  nations  of  France  and 
England  ;  and  agreed  that  henceforth  the  French  fishery  should 
conimence  at  the  said  Cajjc  St.  John,  situat(>d  on  the  eastern 
coast  of  Xewfoundland,  in  about  lifty  d(>grees  of  north  latitude, 
and  going  round  to  the  north,  and  down  the  western  c()a>t  of 
Newfoundland,  should  have  f'or  bouiidary  the  [)Iacc  called  Cape 
Kav,  situated  in  forty-seven  deurees  fifteen  minutes  of  noith 
latitude.  By  the  sanu^  tr(>aty  permission  wa^  given  to  the  citi- 
zens of  ihe  Ignited  States  to  tish  on  the  coasts  of  Xewfound- 
land, on  the  former  footing;  but  they  were  allowed  to  euro  and 
dry  oidy  "  in  the  unsettled  bays,  harbors,  and  cre(dvs  of  Xovii 
Scotia,  the  Magdalen  Islands,  and  Labrador."     So  far  as  X'ew- 


I  I 


62 


KE  WFO  UXDLAND. 


■\      ti 


foiindlaiid  was  concerned,  the  Treaty  of  Versailles,  by  clearly 
deHninj;  the  limits  within  which  the  French  were  to  exercLso 
their  privileges,  removed  a  source  of  contention  arising  from 
uiK'ortaiiity  of  boundaries,  and  ended  the  incessant  quarrol> 
which  had  heen  going  on  regarding  this  point.  Unfortunately, 
however,  the  ambiguity  of  the  language  used  in  another  part 
of  the  treaty  gave  rise  to  even  more  serious  misunderstandings, 
which  continue  to  this  very  hour,  and  have  been  the  source  of 
constant  contentions  between  the  French  and  Newfoundlanders. 
The  stii)ulation  referred  to  ran  as  follows  :  "And  that  the  tislur- 
men  of  the  two  nations  may  not  give  cause  for  daily  (juarrels, 
His  Britannic  Majesty  was  pleased  to  engage  that  he  would 
take  the  most  positive  measures  for  preventing  his  suhjects 
from  interrupting  in  any  manner,  by  their  competition,  the  lisli- 
ing  of  the  French  during  the  temporary  exercise  thereof,  wliidi 
is  granted  to  them  upon  the  coasts  of  the  Island  of  Newfouiul- 
land,  and  that  he  would  for  that  i)uri)Ose  cause  the  permanent 
settlements  which  should  be  formed  there  to  be  removed,  and 
that  he  would  give  orders  that  the  French  fishermen  should 
not  bo  inconnnoded  in  the  cutiing  of  wood  necessary  for  the 
reptiir  of  their  scatlblds,  huts,  and  tishing-boats." 

This  is  the  celebrated  section  of  the  Treaty  of  Versailles 
over  which  volumes  of  dii)lomatic  correspondence  have  I)eoii 
written,  and  countless  Itattles  fought  without  any  satisfactory 
result.  The  French  hold  that,  from  the  i)hrascology  employed, 
the  treaty  gave  them  an  extension  of  their  former  privileges, 
by  securing  to  them  an  exclusive  right  over  the  coasts  and 
waters  in  (juestlon.  But  neither  by  any  British  government, 
nor  by  any  government  or  legislature  in  Newfoundland,  Ins 
this  claim  been  allowed.  The  Crown  law-ofiicers  of  Eiigliuid, 
Avhen  the  matter  was  referred  to  them,  declared  as  their  intei- 
pretation  of  the  language  of  the  treaty,  "that  if  there  l)e  room 
in  these  districts  for  the  fishermen  of  both  nations  to  ti^li, 
without  interfering  with  each  other,  this  country  is  not  l)oun(l 
to  [)revent  her  sul)jeets  fishing  there."  The  French  have  clung 
to  their  treaty  riirhts  with  deathlike  pertinacity.  Kn<dan(l, 
while  maintaining  that  her  sul)jects  have  a  right  to  fish  concur- 
rently with  the  French  in  these  waters,  has  always  held  i\m 


*  i    << 


THE  FISHERY  RIGHTS   OF  FRAXCE. 


(13 


t  I 


viu'ht  ill  ubeyance,  and  (li.scoiirairi'd  the  cxorciso  ot"  it ;  aiid,  until 
l<S(Sl,  refused  to  recognize  settlers  on  tlnit  portion  of  the  coast 
us  .suhjects  entitled  to  the  protection  of  law  and  represiuitalion 
ill  the  local  le<j^islature.  IIai)|)ily  tins  policy  is  now  rcv*'rscd. 
Territorial  jurisdiction  over  the  whole  i>land  is  conccih'd  to  the 
(lovernment  of  Newfoundland;  the  ])ower  of  niakiiii;"  land 
"laiits  and  issuiiii;  niinini''  licenses  is  accorded,  and  represent  a- 
tioii  of  the  inhahitants  in  the  local  Parliament  is  secured,  the 
French  tishery  rii^hts  being,  of  course,  strictly  recoufiii/ed.  It 
now  remains  for  diplomacy  to  close,  in  an  e<iually  satisfactory 
manner,  the  conilicting  claims  to  exclusive  and  concurrent 
rights  of  lishing. 

In  17^5  the  estimated  resident  population  (jf  Xewfoundland 
was  10,244,  of  whom  about  1,()()0  were  resident  in  St.  .lohn's. 
This  shows  an  increase  of  2,744  over  the  previous  twenty-two 
years. 

Ill  1787  a  bishop  of  the  Church  of  England  was  ajjpoinled 
for  Nova  Scotia,  and  Xewfoundland  was  attached  to  his  see. 

The  administration  at  this  time  was  of  so  primitive  a  char- 
acter that  the  governor  regulated  the  i)rice  of  food,  and  fixed 
it  by  proclamation.  The  trader  who  disregarded  the  otlii'ial 
tarill"  was  liable  to  the  infliction  of  a  heav}'  fine.  Xewfbund- 
laiid,  even  when  it  had  power  to  act  otherwise,  elected  to 
l)ass  through  many  of  the  curious  stages  which  the  mollier- 
couiitry  had  traversed  during  her  own  slow  but  glorious  march 
of  constitutional  liberty. 


I  li 


\^ 


!1        " 

■A 
'■>■ 

ii    r 


:i    A 


M 


mm 


G4 


NEWFOi'yDLAXD. 


CHAPTER  V. 

"  TIIKOUGII    THE    FIRE." 

[17!):5-I8ni.] 

'J'lie  last  French  attack  on  the  Ishunl  —  Ncwfoiiinllanilers  not  alloweil  to  !U'qiiiro 
land  or  Imilil  liouscs  —  Stranijo  cxaniplcs  of  tlio  ri^nir  of  the  law  of  Wil- 
liam III.  —  Iirfiii.;i'i.'s  from  Ireland —  !Ioniaii  (^atliolic (Usabilities  —  Mutiny  of 
the  lioyal  Newfonntllanil  Hesriment  —  A  landmark  of  Improvement  —  IIousi-s 
hiiilt  witiioul  Imperial  ])ermission — The  first  newspa|)er  —  'I'lie  Ijcd 
inilians  —  A  traiiical  t'.N[)edition  —  (iovernor  Diickworth'B  enlijjlitened  udiiiin- 
istration  —  'Flu  rise  of  St.  John's  —  A  period  of  inflation  —  The  Treaty  of 
I'aris  —The  i^reat  liri'  of  ISUJ —  l'roi)osals  of  depopulation  —  Agitation  for 
local  Leij;islalive  i)o\vor — Iv\i)ansion  of  popular  ideas  —  liepreseiilative 
(io\  crnment  conferred  on  the  Island  in  is;}2  —  Hostility  between  the  two 
('iiaml)ers  —  IJelijiious  and  political  rancor  —  The  fire  of  1840  —  Twelve 
thousanil  people  homeless  —  The  propost'd  Anglo-French  Convention  of 
1857  —  Uiot  and  tumult  —  Peace  and  progress. 


H*'^',-: 


\:4 


'Vwv.  FriMich  Ivcvoliition  ciilininntiiiti'  in  a  doeltiration  of  war 
a<i"!iin>l  ICno-laiid,  made  the  year  IT!)))  one  of  cspooial  iiu[)()r- 
tanco  to  Newfoundland.  Preparations  were  again  active  in 
an.ieipation  of  a  descent  upon  the  island.  Adniind  AVailacc, 
the  newly-a[)p()inted  o()vernor,  insiintaincd  the  small  force 
inider  his  conunand  at  .St .  John's  in  the  highest  state  of  etiici(>nc\'. 
The  forts  were  strengthened,  the  batteries  made  read}'  for  action. 
A'ohinteers  lUxjUed  to  the  national  standard.  A  spirit  of  lovallv 
manifested  Itself  on  tdl  hands.  In  addition  to  the  formation  of 
a  voliuit<!er  force,  the  gv>vernor  was  authorized  to  raise  ii  \e\\- 
foimdland  corjjs  of  six  luuidred  men,  a  step  whicli  was  atlended 
with  great  success.  In  Septend>er,  ITiMi,  a  French  s(|uadr()n 
api)eared  olf  the  harl)or  of  St.  John's.  The  fort ilicat ions  wcic 
manned,  the  giuniers  iit  their  jjosts  awaited  the  exi)ccted  assaull, 
the  llritish  Hag  Hew  deliantly  over  the  town.  More  than  once 
in  its  previous  history  St.  John's  had  j)rovcd  to  the  French  a 
dillicull  nut  to  crack.     On  this  last  occasion  of  their  hostile  sur- 


''THROUGH  THE  FIIiE." 


65 


vi'V  of  the  place  they  passed  on  without  even  challcniiinu'  a 
shot.  The  settlement  at  Bay  of  Bulls,  a  short  distance  south 
ot"  the  capital,  however,  felt  the  power  of  the  enemy.  Thoy 
burnt  the  defenceless  place  and  plundered  the  vessels  that  lay 
!it  anchor  off  the  coast.  Satisfied  with  this  small  exploit, 
tlu'  s(juadron  put  to  sea  and  disappeared.  Notwithstandinii;  tl'.c 
uiirantic  strujjgle  hetween  mother  country  and  France,  that 
ui'ut  on  for  many  years  after  this  incidejit,  Newfoundland  was 
Kit  at  peace  ever  afterwards.  No  other  force  hostile  to  Enuland 
litis  since  these  excitinj^  days  fired  the  warlike  ardor  of  the  isle, 
or  threatened  the  rei)ose  of  its  rising  settlements. 

Admiral  Waldegrave  became  goveriuu'  in  ITDil.  He  proved 
to  he  a  very  humane  and  enlightened  ruler.  Finding  niany  of 
tin;  p(>ople  in  very  poor  circumstances  he  organized  a  i)lan 
for  relieving  their  wants  by  means  of  a  voluntaiy  annual  sub- 
scription among  the  wealthier  inhal)itants.  There  was  a  turbu- 
lent spirit  as  well  as  nmch  undeserved  poverty  in  the  island, 
the  result  of  a  lax  government,  which  was  more  particularly 
wcjik  during  the  wi"ter  months.  An  order  was  therefore  ob- 
tained for  the  Chief  Justice  to  winter  in  the  island.  \\"\\h  the 
ii'o\ criior,  this  high  functionary  was  in  the  habit  of  s))i>nding 
the  winter  in  England.  The  times  were  everywhere  troul)lous, 
iiiid  the  gov(;rnor  felt  the  necessity  of  vigilance  on  the  part  of 
civil  power  in  the  proper  administration  of  justice  and  the  })res- 
t'l'VMtion  of  order.  At  the  same  time  he  showed  a  keen  sym- 
l):ithy  for  the  local  lishernien,  whoso  condition  was  at  this  time 
\vvy  deplorable.  In  one  of  his  despatches  he  speaks  of  the 
conduct  of  the  merchants  at  Burin,  who  had  comi)laine(l  to  him 
of  the  emigr.ition  of  some  of  the  inhabitants  to  Nova  Scotia,  in 
terms  which  demonstrate  only  too  clearly  the  social  state  of  the 
people.  "One  point  seems  clear,"  lie  says,  "and  this  is,  that 
unless  these  poor  wretches  emigrate  they  must  starve  ;  for  how 
can  it  be  otherwise  while  the  meri'hant  has  the  i[)ower  of  scltiing 
Ills  own  price  on  the  sui)i)lies  issued  to  tlu;  lishermcn,  and  on 
i!ie  tish  which  these  })eoi)le  catch  for  him?  Thus  we  sei'  a  set 
"f  unfortunate  beini>;s  worked  like  slaves  and  hoziu'ding  their 
lives,  when  at  the  expiration  (if  tluur  term  (howc^ver  successful 
their   exertions)  they  lind  themselves  not  only  without  gain, 


<         ill 


66 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


■  \ 


but  so  deeply  indebted  as  forces  them  to  einigrute,  or  drive 
them  to  despair."  He  further  relates  how  the  merchants  \\\- 
fused  to  allow  a  tax  of  sixpence  per  gallon  on  rum,  to  help  to 
defray  administrative  expenses;  and  he  describes  them  as 
"  ()i)posed  to  every  measure  of  Government  which  a  governor 
may  think  proper  to  propose  for  the  general  benetit  of  the 
island." 

It  seems  strange  that  it  did  not  occur  to  the  governors  that 
the  right  way  to  relieve  the  tishermen  from  their  poverty  and 
serfdom,  was  to  encourage  the  resident  population  to  cultivate 
the  soil,  as  a  means  of  adding  to  their  comforts,  and  securing 
their  inde[)endence.  It  must  be  rememl)ered,  however,  that 
the  governors  were  naval  men,  who  were  inclined  naturally  to 
sustain  the  old  theory,  that  the  island  was  to  bo  preserved  as  a 
fishing-station  and  training-port  for  seamen,  not  as  a  home  for  a 
civili/(Hl  conuuunity.  Even  under  Waldegrave  all  grants  of 
land  were  sternly  refused.  The  shores  were  declared  to  be  for 
the  use  of  the  migratory  fishermen  who  came  from  England, 
and  no  local  appropriations  could  therefore  bo  allowed.  This 
policy,  enforced  by  law,  and  cordially  approved  by  the  nun- 
chant  class,  was  carried  out  by  successive  naval  governors,  with 
the  sternest  quarter-deck  discipline.  Two  instances  may  l)o 
quoted  by  way  of  illustration.  In  1790  Governor  Milbanke 
discovered  that  a  certain  Alexander  Long  had,  wiHiout  \)vv- 
mission,  erected  a  house.  He  immediately  wrote  to  the  magis- 
trate declaring  that  "  it  must  and  shall  come  down."  In  vain 
did  the  builder  plead  that  "  it  was  only  a  covering  for  his  potato 
cellar."  The  shar[)-eyed  governor  surveyed  the  structure,  and 
found,  he  declares,  that  "  it  had  a  complete  chimney,  if  not  two, 
and  lodging  for  at  least  six  or  eight  dieters  " ;  so  that  it  was 
clearly  intended  for  a  human. habitation,  and  must  bo  pulled 
down  hy  the  sherilf.  To  remove  all  doubt  upon  the  matter,  he 
announced,  in  the  same  letter,  that  if  in  future  any  buildinii" 
should  1)0  erected,  except  for  the  salting  and  curing  of  fish,  "it 
must  unavoidaI)ly  1)0  taken  down  and  removed."  Ho  added: 
"  It  may  not  bo  amiss  at  the  same  time  to  inform  you  I  am  also 
directed  not  to  allow  any  possession  as  private  [jroperty  to  he 
taken  of,  or  any  right  of  private  property  whatever  to  be  ac- 


'THROUGH  THE  FIRE: 


67 


knowledged  in,  any  land  whatever,  which  is  not  actually 
employed  in  the  fisheiy,  in  terms  of  the  afore-mentioned  Act, 
10  and  11  William  III.,  whether  possessed  by  pretended  grants 
from  former  governors,  or  from  any  other  (no  matter  what) 
unwarrantable  pretences.  The  shcritl' will  have  directions  about 
the  removal  of  the  house  al)ove-mentioned,  which  you  will  no 
doubt  assist  him  in  executing." 

No  less  rigorous  was  Admiral  AValdegrave,  who  was  governor 
for  three  years  ending  1799.  lie  had  issued  orders  to  the 
slicriir  prohibiting  any  erections  during  his  absence  in  the  winter. 
Finding  on  his  return  that  a  Mrs.  Gill  had  audaciously  erected 
a  fence,  on  the  plea  that  she  had  received  a  grant  from  a  former 
L'ovcrnor  of  a  piece  of  ground,  and  that  two  other  individuals 
Imd  built  "sheds,"  he  sharply  rebuked  the  shcrift*,  and  ordered 
tli(!  sheds  to  be  taken  down  ;  and  at  the  same  time  he  prohibited 
thinuieys,  or  even  the  lighting  of  fires  in  sheds,  and  threatened 
the  shcrift"  with  dismissal  if  such  deeds  were  repeated.  When 
about  to  take  his  departure,  ho  put  on  record,  for  the  benefit 
of  his  successor,  that  he  had  made  no  promise  of  any  grant  of 
land,  save  one  to  the  officer  commanding  the  troops,  which  was 
not  to  be  held  by  any  other  person. 

These  restrictions  pressed  so  hardly  on  the  people,  now  con- 
siderably increased  in  numbers,  that  even  the  merchants  began 
at  last  to  see  that  it  would  be  for  their  advantage  to  have  a  resi- 
dent population,  instead  of  bringing  out  fishermen  from  Uritain 
cMuli  year.  They  petitioned  Oovernor  Waldegravc  for  a  relaxa- 
tion of  the  rule  requiring  the  departure  of  all  fishermen  at  the 
ond  of  each  season.  They  even  went  so  far  as  to  suggest  that, 
in  some  cases,  the  enclosure  of  portions  of  unoccupied  land 
might  1)0  permitted  with  advantage.  ''"he  governor  did  not 
i'es[)ond  to  their  representations.  It  is  evident,  however,  tiiat 
new  ideas  were  fermenting  in  the  minds  of  men,  when  sucii 
swooping  changes  and  daring  innovations  were  advocatiMl  by 
the  conservative  class.  The  memory  of  Governor  Waldegravc, 
in  s[)ilo  of  his  eccentricities,  was  long  deservedly  respected. 
The  first  to  institute  charitable  societies,  he  fostered  education, 
•md  secured  the  erection  of  a  new  church  in  St.  John's.  Not- 
withstanding the  conflict  raging  between  England  and  France, 


'  <   ai*,.:j 


'if' 


rif,  ?^ 

f 

'  '■* 

*■ 

!     ■    . 

1; 

^" 

(|li|! 

\'^S 


;:l|] 


68 


iVZ:  WFO  UXDLAND. 


Now'foundliind  wont  on  increasing  in  population  and  wealth. 
All  competitors  in  the  fisheries  were  swei)t  from  the  seas.  The 
fish-markets  of  Europe  were  exclusively  in  the  hands  of  ihe 
nKU'chants  of  this  country,  so  that  fish  rose  to  an  unprecedented 
price*.  When  Governor  Waldeufravc  took  his  departure,  in 
171)1),  there  were  four  hundred  vessels  engaged  in  the  trade  of 
the  country,  and  ahout  two  thousand  boats.  The  export  of 
codfish  reached  half  a  million  of  ((uintals.  The  capital  invest(>d 
in  the  fishery  of  cod,  salmon,  and  seals  M'as  not  less  than  a  mil- 
lion and  a  half  [jounds  sterling.  This  degree  of  prosperity  was 
reached,  although  settlement  was  prohibited,  and  those  who  re- 
mained in  winter  were  chiefly  persons  connected  with  the  trade 
of  the  country,  or  those  who  were  too  poor  to  make  the  amuial 
vovaije  home.  The  vast  wealth  reali/j  <1  ])y  the  fisheries  all 
went  to  enrich  other  lands.  None  of  it  was  spent  in  the 
improvement  of  Newfoundland,  or  in  the  promotion  of  civiliza- 
tion among  the  residcMit  j)opulation. 

When  the  social  disadvantages  under  which  the  population 
was  gradually  forming  are  taken  into  account,  it  is  not  wonder- 
ful that  disorder,  inunorality,  and  crime  should  have  prevailed 
more  or  less.  Indeed,  all  things  considered,  the  wonder  is  to 
find  such  a  degree  of  order  and  respect  for  law,  and  for  the 
rules  of  morality,  among  a  people  for  Avhom  so  little  was  done 
in  the  way  of  education  and  religious  instruction.  In  many  of 
the  smaller  and  more  remote  settlements,  successive  generations 
lived  and  died  without  education  or  religious  teaching  of  any 
kind.  The  lives  of  the  people  Avere  rc^ndered  hard  and  often 
miserable  for  the  express  puri)ose  of  driving  them  away.  The 
governors  of  those;  day  considered  that  loyalty  to  England 
rendered  it  imperative  on  th(>m  to  depopulate  Newfoundland. 

In  the  face  of  all  these  severe  discouragements  the  settler-^ 
held  their  ground,  increased  in  numbers,  and  improved  their 
social  condition.  However  slow  their  progress,  that  they 
advanced  at  all  fui'nishes  abundant  jjroof  that  among  these 
hardy  pioneers  there  weu  men  of  the  right  sfami)  for  building 
up  a  new  community,  men  of  moral  worth  and  force  of  char- 
acter, who  saw,  in  the  midst  of  their  rough  surroundings,  tluit 
here  was  a  spot  which  might   one  day  be  made  into  a  desiral>le 


''THROUGH  THE  FIRE." 


G9 


home  for  themselves  ami  their  eliildren.  No  doubt,  along  witli 
this  robust  element  there  was  a  baser  intermixture  of  people 
fi'oni  the  old  land  —  spendthrifts  and  criminals  tlying  from  the 
conseciuences  of  their  misdeeds  to  a  country  where  they  were 
safe  from  the  arm  of  the  law.  Debt,  Avant,  and  opi)ressioii 
(hove  many  to  emigrate  in  those  troubled  times.  They  carried 
with  them  tlie  eml)ittered  memories  of  (heir  wrongs.  Many 
from  Ireland,  es[)ecially  after  the  troubles  of  \1\)^,  found  a 
rol'uge  among  their  kindred  or  countrymen  on  the  shores  of 
Xcwfoundhmd.  Tlio  Saxon  strength  of  the  s(!ttl»!ments  was 
sujiplied  from  England,  numbers  of  those  who  came  out  to 
prosecute  the  fishery  remaining  l)chind  at  the  close  of  each 
ti>hing  season.  Tiio  advancing  prosperity  of  the  colony,  and 
the  increased  value  of  the  iishcry  products,  tended  to  attract 
other  classes  of  emigrants. 

As  population  increased  the  attention  of  the  churches  was 
drawn  to  the  s[)iritual  destitution  of  the  people.  The  Church 
of  ilnghuid,  acting  tlu'ough  tiie  Society  for  the  Propagation  of 
the  (ii)spt'l,  endeavored  to  i)rovide  for  the  wants  of  her  scat- 
tered chihlren.  Clergymen  left  the  old  country,  and  labored 
taitlifully  in  St.  John's,  Harbor  Grace,  Trinity,  and  other 
pliiees.  As  early  as  178i)  Wesleyan  Methodism  Avas  intro- 
duced, and  gradually  attained  a  vigorous  growth,  lieligious 
tohuation  being  proclaimed,  many  [)riests  of  the  Church  of 
lionu!  ajjpcared  in  the  island.  They  toiled  with  connnendable 
devotion  among  their  Hocks,  loyally  battling  with  hardships 
and  privations.  Secular  and  Sunday  schools  wert!  ojxMicd  for 
the  ediu-ation  of  the  3'oung,  in  connection  with  tlu;  diU'crent 
( luireli(>s.  These  intluences  gradually  ellected  a  change  lor  the 
heller  among  this  long-neglcclcd  pe()[)lc. 

Such  was  the  condition  of  things  when,  in  the  year  IS'K),  u 
serious  alarm  was  created  by  the  discovery  of  a  nuitinous  plot 
among  the  soldiers  stationed  in  St.  .b>hn's,  composing  the 
Ivoval  Xewfoundland  Regiment,  Mhich  had  been  enlisted  i-hiclly 
tVoiu  among  the  populace.  The  conspirators  ap[)ear  to  have 
liad  symi)alhi/(M-s  and  adherents  among  the  more  turbulent  and 
i^iiiorant  of  th(>  lowi'r  (dasses,  who  were  i)repared  to  act  in  con- 
eert  with  the  nmtineers.     It  was  believed  that  a  secret  society 


fl 


I 


'■f. 


• 


II 


'.\ 


-i'ri 


1;  iu 


H 


l!      i  ■  ,     i 


70 


NE  WFO  UXDLAND. 


I     hi,A. 


'I  i 

ij 


n 


•f  i 


was  at  the  root  of  the  mischief.  The  phin  of  the  mutineers 
was  to  desert  with  their  arms,  and,  l)eing  joined  by  their  friends 
outside,  to  phmder  St.  John's,  and  afterwards  escai)e  to  the 
United  States.  Had  the  eonsi)iracy  not  heen  detected  in  time, 
serious  results  must  have  followed,  involvini>"  robbery  and 
assassination,  not  alone  in  St.  John's,  but  throughout  the 
island,  wherever  disali'ection  spread.  The  discovery  of  the  i)lot 
was  made  by  the  Koman  Catholic  ])ishop.  Dr.  O'Donnell,  who 
in-omi)tly  informed  the  conmianding  officer,  Major-General 
Skerret,  of  the  imiicnding  peril.  This  loyal  prelate  had 
already  exerted  his  inlluence  among  his  own  tlock  to  counteract 
the  evil  inlluences  that  had  been  at  work,  and  to  prevent  an 
outl)reak.  The  connnanding  officer  acted  with  great  prompti- 
tude and  decision  in  dealing  with  the  soldiers,  some  of  whom 
were  tried  by  court-martial  and  executed.  The  regiment  was 
relieved  by  another  from  Halifax,  and  the  alarm  si)eedily  sub- 
sided. All  classes  felt  an  1  acknowledged  the  debt  of  gratitude 
due  to  liishoi)  O'Donnell  for  his  conduct  on  this  occasion. 
During  the  whohi  time  of  his  residence  in  Newfoundland  this 
excellent  man  labored  to  advance  the  best  interests  of  tin; 
pe()i)le,  to  promote  harmony  and  kindly  feeling  between  Prot- 
estants and  Catholics,  and  to  counteract  sectarian  animosities. 

To  mark  their  sense  of  his  i)atriotic  services  the  British  tJov- 
ermnent  bestow  I  on  liisho})  O'Donnell  a  pension  of  £50  \^v\' 
annum  —  a  more  numilicent  gift  than  that  bestowed  by  Janios 
on  "  him  that  found  the  island,"  it  is  true,  but  inadequate  as  a 
reward  for  distinguished  service,  and  hardly  worthy  of  the  dig- 
nity of  a  British  (iovernment. 

Admiral  (landiier  was  api)ointed  governor  in  1802.  At  this 
date  the  population  of  St.  John's  was  3,420  of  whom  1,1. Hi 
were  Protestants  and  2,2iSl  Catholics.  Governor  Gamhici; 
enthiared  himscdf  to  the  colony  through  his  benevolent  oflbrts  to 
anudiorate  the  condition  of  the  peoi)le,  by  the  introduction  of 
sjinitary  arrangenumts  in  St.  John's,  and  the  promotion  of  chari- 
table institutions  for  therelief  of  the  poor.  Ho  worked  hard  to 
increase  the  number  of  the  clergy,  and  the  establishment  of 
chai'itv  schools.  During  his  administration,  for  the  first  time 
one  oi  the  native  Indians  was  brought  to  St.  John's.     This  Ava.'? 


''THROUGH  THE  FIRE." 


7i 


an  Indian  woman  who  had  been  captured  by  a  fisliennan.  She 
is  described  as  having  been  of  a  copper  color,  with  bhick  eyes, 
and  hair  like  that  of  a  European.  After  spending  a  winter  in 
St.  John's,  and  being  treated  with  great  kindness,  she  was  sent 
back  to  her  tribe  in  charge  of  her  captor,  with  conciliatory 
picsents  of  various  kinds  ;  but  nothing  more  was  heard  of  her. 
It  aj)pears  from  a  i)roclamation  issued  in  17()[>  that  great  cruel- 
tics  had  l)een  i)ractised  on  the  aborigines  by  the  rude  tishcrnicn 
of  those  days,  who  often  destroyed  them  without  provocation 
or  excuse.  A  proclamation  denounced  these  barbarities,  and 
threatened  heavy  [)enalties  on  any  who  shoidd  b(!  guilty  of  such 
crimes.  Strenuous  etlbrts  were  made  aftcu'wards  to  open  com- 
nuuiioations  with  the  natives,  but  without  result. 

It  is  significant,  regarding  the  system  which  still  prevailed. 
Id  liiid  that  on  his  reuirn  to  England  Ciovernor  Gambler  had  to 
ask  indemnity  for  granting  a  lease  of  eighty  acres  of  waste 
ground  for  i)asturage  for  sheej)  and  cattle  for  the  conveniiMice 
of  the  peoi)le  of  St.  John's.  He  was  succeeded  in  1804  by  Sir 
Krasnuis  Gower,  during  whose  adminstration  a  most  important 
work  was  carried  out.  lie  found  that  the  waterside  i)rcmises 
in  the  harbor  of  St.  John's,  designated  ships'  lishing- rooms,  to 
the  distance  of  two  hundriid  yards  from  high-water  mark,  were 
nominally  reserved  for  Hshery  i)urposes,  but  that  the  principal 
huildings  of  the  town  had  literally  been  huddled  into  this  s|)ace  ; 
there  being  no  permission  to  erect  permanent  houses  elsmvlnn'o. 
He  succeeded  in  obtaining  the  consent  of  the  British  ministry 
to  a  n(nv  arrangement,  by  which  the  ground  contiguous  to  the 
\\at('r  was  reserved  for  the  purposes  of  a  mercantile  jjort,  and 
(he  land  higher  u})  was  sold  in  small  lots  for  the  erection  of 
houses.  A  new  road  was  laid  down  i)arall(d  with  tlu>  hai-bor, 
at  a  <listance  of  two  hundred  yards.  It  was  not,  however,  until 
seven  years  afterwards,  in  IISII,  that  ships'  tishing-roonis,  now 
utterly  disused  for  tlii;  original  purposes,  were  tinally  abolished, 
and  let  for  building  purposes. 

The  annual  rent  of  the  ground  thus  disposed  of  1)y  public 
auction,  on  leases  of  thirty  years,  amountiMl  to  £l,(iOO  —  a 
jiroofof  th(!  increasing  wealth  of  St.  John's.  Thus  the  old 
system  t)f  prohibiting  tin;  erection  of  houses  without  a  written 
permission  from  tJie  governor  at  last  received  its  death-blow. 


«<  '1 


72 


XE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


The  iiU[)rovcuKMit  of  tlio  town  dates  from  this  event.  I'lc- 
viously,  owiiii^  to  tlie  Insti'uctloiis  Jiu^uiiist  building,  iind  tlic 
irregiihifity  in  erecting  some  kin;l  of  shelter  for  the  riij)i(lly 
increasing  i);)i)ulation,  the  wooden  huts  were  huddled  togc^thi-r 
in  such  a  way  as  to  present  a  continual  danger  of  tire.  Willi 
thci  exci!i)tion  of  one  house  the  town  was  huilt  entirely  of  wooi I. 
Th(!  i)rincii)al  thorouglifive  was  in  one  i)laee  not  more  than  six 
feet  wide.  All  the  streets  were  narrow,  un[)aved,  and  un- 
lighted.  It  is  noteworthy  to  find  the  merchants  of  St.  Johns 
in  a  memorial  presented  to  His  Uoyal  Highness  the  Prince 
Kegcnt,  expressing  their  great"  surprise  "  that  "  an  Act  had  been 
pass(Ml  for  taking  away  the  iniblic  use  of  certain  ships'-rooms  in 
the  town  of  St.  John's,"  com[)laining  of  "the  exorbitant"  terms 
of  th(^  leas(is,  and  asking  that  the  rents  should  be  appropriated 
to  t!u^  improviMuiMit  of  the  town  and  harbor;  a  request  which 
was  not  complied  with. 

In  1S()4  the  resident  population  of  Newfoundland  was  found 
to  Ik'  -*'),;5.S0,  to  wliii-h  m!iy  be  added  4,000  employed  in  the 
tisherics,  who  retiu'ned  to  the  United  Kingdom  at  the  close  of 
the  season.  Of  thi!  residiMit  i)0[)ulation  12,;>-15  were  returncij 
as  Protestants,  and  H,0;)')  as  lioman  Catholics.  The  (juantily 
of  cudiish  taken  was  ()0!>,(!8-l:  quintals.  The  seal-tishery  had 
now  attained  considerable  dimensions,  1()(),7<JD  seals  having 
IxKMi  killed  in  1-SO-l:.  The  salmon-tishery  yielded  1,197  tierces. 
Three  years  later,  in  ISO?,  the  population  of  St.  John's  h;id 
risen  to  '),0")7.  The  immigration  from  Ireland  had  added  con- 
siderably to  the  numl)er  of  the  inhabitants. 

A  very  serious  grimance,  connected  mainly  with  the  oul- 
port  population  was  brought  imder  the  notice  of  Governor 
(lower  l)y  a  petition  from  the  inhabitants  of  Fogo  Island,  in 
which  they  coniplained  that  "through  the  imi)osition  of  tlie 
merchiuits  or  their  aizimts  in  Fogo  bv  their  exorbitant  prices  ou 
shop  goods  and  i)rovisions,  they  were  from  year  to  year  hcM 
in  debt,  so  as  not  daring  to  Iind  fault,  fearing  they  might  starve 
at  the  ai)proach  of  every  winter."  Tlu^y  further  stated  "  that  tln' 
said  merchants  arrogate  to  themselves  a  power  not  warranted 
by  any  law,  in  sidling  to  lis  every  articde  of  theirs  at  any  price 
they  think  tit,  and  taking  from  your  petitioners  the  produce  ol' 


''THROUGH  THE  FIRE." 


r3 


tlic  whole  year  jit  whiitsoever  price  they  think  tit  to  j;ive.  In 
short,  let  it  suffice  to  inform  Your  Excellenc}-  that  they  take  on 
tlMinselve.s  to  price  their  own  goods  and  ours  also,  as  they 
think  most  convenient  to  them."  This  petition  accentuates  the 
evils  of  the  system  of  ci'edit  at  this  timti  universal  in  tin;  colony, 
hy  which  the  sui)i)lying  merchant  made  advances  in  goods  to 
till'  lishennen  at  the  connnencement  of  the  season,  taking  jwy- 
uicnt  at  the  close  in  the  prodiu;ts  of  the  tishing.  The  governor 
endeavored  to  mitigate  this  cruel  abuse  of  [)Ower  by  a  ijroclaina- 
tiou  "re(|uiring  the  merchants  to  make  known  to  their  dealers 
])efore  the  15th  day  of  August  in  every  year,  or  at  the  time  of 
delivery,  the  j)rices  of  provisions  and  other  connnodities  sold  by 
tiu'in,  and  the  prices  they  will  give  for  lish  and  oil,  and  to  iix  a 
schedule  thereof  in  some  consi)icuous  part  of  their  respective 
stores."  It  is  to  be  feared  this  well-meant  regulation  had  but 
little  effect. 

Tlie  i)artial  removal  of  the  old  restrictions  on  settlement,  and 
the  subse(|uent  im[)rovement  in  the  social  condition  of  the 
ju'ople,  gave  the  settlers  new  hope  and  fresh  courage.  They 
began  to  feel  that  brighter  days  Avero  in  store  for  them.  They 
were  not  misled.  From  this  time  ma}'  \w  dated  the  commence- 
nu'iit  of  an  era  of  })rogress.  The  advance  was  slow,  no  doubt, 
because  of  the  numerous  oI)stacles  that  stood  in  the  way,  l)ut  it 
was  a  tirm  onward  movement  that  has  ncuer  halted.  The  v«'urs 
I'^^i*.")  and  18U()  witnessed  the  introduction  into  Newfoundland 
of  two  of  the  great  resources  of  civilization,  a  post-otlice 
and  u  newspaper.  Previously  letters  were  sent  by  any  casual 
coiiviyancc ;  now  a  postmaster  was  api)i)inte(l,  but  as  yet  he 
iiail  no  backing  of  subsidized  mail-sUuuners.  ^Merchant  vessels 
(•.irried  the  letter-bags.  The  lirst  news[)ai)er  was  "The  IJoyal 
(i:i/ette."  It  Avas  published  by  John  Ryan,  and  is  still  in  ex- 
i>leiiee.  The  liberty  of  the  press  was  rather  restricted  in  those 
days.  The  i)ublisher  was  bound,  under  heavy  penalties,  to  sul)- 
niil,  prior  to  i)ublicati()n,  the  contents  of  each  number  of  his 
I'iiper  to  the  magistrates  in  the  Court  of  Sessions,  and  "  not  to 
in>ert  ill  the  said  i)a|)er  any  matter  which  in  their  opinion,  or  in 

t! pinion  of  the  governor,  may  tend  to  disturl)  the  peace  of 

ili-  Majesty's  subjects."     With  such  a  curb  to  wear  it  is  likely 


li 


I 


h 


1 


I 

; 

t  ' 

■J 


'  kl 


74 


NE  WFO  UNDLAXD. 


■  !  S 


i;^'- 


f'f 


I;  I 


that  "The  lloyal  Gazette"  proved  a  very  mild  and  haiiiilcss 
journal.  It  was  the  preeursor,  however,  of  a  lonj;  array  of 
newspapers,  whieh  appeared  in  due  time  and  claimed  and 
exercised  sutficient  "  freedom  of  the  press."  Another  hopeful 
symptom  was  the  formation  of  the  Benevolent  Irish  Society,  its 
object  being  to  relieve  the  wants  and  distresses  of  Irishnun. 
In  due  time  the  other  nationalities  represented  in  the  i)()i)ulati()n 
followed  with  the  St.  George's  Society,  the  St.  Andrew's  So- 
ciety, and  the  British  Society,  all  existing  to-day,  well  manageil 
and  useful  institutions. 

Admiral  Ilolloway  was  the  next  governor.  lie  arrived  in 
1807,  and  one  of  his  first  acts  was  to  tighten  the  reins  on  "Tlie 
Royal  Gazette,"  one  of  the  conditions  on  which  he  permitted  its 
publication  being,  that  nothing  should  appear  in  its  coUuiiiis 
"indicating  anything  inflannuatory  against  the  Government  of 
Great  Britain  or  its  dei)endencies  ;  and  never  to  give  or  sutler 
any  oj)inion  to  be  given  upon  the  polic}'  of  other  nations,  but 
to  confine  the  paper  solely  for  what  was  to  the  benefit  of  com- 
merce, and  the  inhabitants  of  this  Government  and  others  trad- 
ing with  it."  Some  of  the  most  noteworthy  events  during  the 
administration  of  Governor  Ilolloway  were  the  reannexation  of 
Labrador  to  the  Government  of  Newfoundland  in  180i>,  and  the 
permanent  establishment  of  the  judicial  system  which  had 
already  been  in  operation  for  some  years,  and  which  had  been 
found  to  work  well. 

When,  in  1810,  Sir  John  Thomas  Duckworth  became 
governor,  his  commission  api)ointed  him  Governor  and  Com- 
mander-in-chief over  the  Island  of  Newfoundland  and  the  islands 
adjacent,  including  the  Islands  of  St.  Pierre  and  Miquelon,  and 
all  the  coast  of  Lal)rador,  from  the  river  St.  John's  to  Hudson's 
Straits,  the  Island  of  Anticosti,  and  others  adjacent.  Gov- 
ernor Duckworth  i)roved  to  bo  a  ruler  possessed  of  activity  and 
intelligence.  In  order  to  make  himself  acquainted  with  the 
condition  and  wants  of  the  people,  ho  made  a  voyage,  whieh 
extended  to  the  principal  northern  settlements  and  also  to 
Labrador.  When  in  the  latter  region,  ho  addressed  a  procla- 
mation to  the  Micmacs,  Esquimaux,  and  others,  assuring  theiu 
of  the  protection  of  the  king,  and  his  readiness  to  redress  llicii' 


\ 

1 

''THROUGH   THE  FIRE." 


t.) 


grievances,  and  do  them  any  service  in  his  power.  He  further 
exhort (mI  them  to  live  peaceal)ly  together,  and  avoid  all  causes 
of  \  iolcnce  and  bloodshed.  He  took  a  great  interest  in  the  Red 
Indians  of  Xewfoundland,  and  sent  a  i)arty  under  Lieutenant 
lUuhan,  li.N.,  to  open  communications  with  a  tribe  on  the  river 
E.\[)l()its.  The  expedition  had  a  tragical  termination.  liuciian 
nut  with  the  Indians  after  a  march  of  one  hundred  and  thirty 
miles  into  the  interior.  Having  succeeded  in  calming  their 
fears,  he  induced  four  of  them  to  return  with  him  to  his  camp 
ill  order  to  receive  presents,  leaving  two  marines  with  the  tribe 
as  hostages  and  pledges  of  good  intentions.  On  returning  with 
the  })rcsents  to  the  Indian  cami)  he  found  the  bodies  of  the  two 
marines  lying  on  the  ground,  pierced  with  arrows  and  headless. 
Their  treacherous  murderers  had  tied. 

During  Governor  Duckworth's  administration  a  he  spital 
was  (U'cctcd  for  the  benefit  of  the  laboriniir  chisses  in  times  of 
sickness,  partly  by  voluntary  subscri^jtions  among  the  wealthy 
classes,  which  the  working  people  aided  by  a  voluntary  assess- 
ment of  one  penny  in  the  pound  on  each  servant's  wages,  and  a 
shilling  annually  from  each  seaman  coming  into  the  port.  It  is 
needless  to  say  that  the  hospital,  which  has  since  been  enlarged 
from  time  to  time,  has  proved  an  inestimable  boon  to  the  poor 
of  the  city  and  its  sul)urbs.  Governor  Duckworth  was  also  in- 
strumental in  carrying  out  the  great  improvement  already 
referred  to — the  leasini;  of  the  ground  around  the  harbor  for 
wharves  and  sites  for  mercantile  premises.  During  his  admin- 
istration in  1812,  the  United  States  declared  war  against  Great 
lUitain,  and  the  governor  met  with  a  ready  response  to  his 
a|)i)eal  to  form  a  volunteer  force  for  the  protection  of  the  is. and. 
Old  forts  were  repaired  and  guns  and  ammunition  supplied ; 
l)ut  happily  no  enemy  appeared,  the  powerful  squadron  then 
cruising  in  the  surrounding  waters,  rendering  any  attack 
hopeless. 

In  the  report  which  Governor  Duckworth  presented  to  the 
Imperial  authorities  on  the  close  of  his  term  of  office,  ho  faith- 
fully pointed  out  the  fact  that  the  circumstances  of  the  colony 
had  now  conii)lotely  changed,  rendering  an  alteration  in  the 
administration  of  the  laws   imperative.     The  resident  popula- 


1  ; 


mi 


76 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


i 

j 

\ 

i.r 

% 

tion,  ho  stated,  had  increased  so  largely  that  the  fisheries  avcio 
mainly  carried  on  by  theiu,  and  it  was  now  vain  to  attcni[)t 
lessening  their  numbers  or  checking  the  increase.  He  therefore 
suggested  that  the  antiijuated  statutes  should  be  abrogated ; 
that  the  ships'  fishing-rooms  reserved  for  the  use  of  fishing-ves- 
sels from  England,  should  now  be  thrown  open  to  the  inhabi- 
tants ;  and  that  all  impediments  to  the  cultivation  of  the  soil 
should  bo  removed,  so  that  the  increasing  nura])ors  of  the 
l)oi)ulation  might  provide  for  their  wants  l)y  agricultural  |)iu- 
suits,  as  well  as  by  the  fisheries.  Like  several  of  his  i)redece.s- 
sors,  ho  had  to  complain  of  the  conduct  of  the  merchants,  wlio 
strongly  opposed  a  duty  of  sixpence  per  gallon  which  he 
imposed  on  rum,  and  one  shilling  and  sixpence  on  o\\\v.v 
spirits.  On  this  subject  he  saitl :  "The  merchants  of  St, 
John's  have  formed  themsolves  into  a  society,  and  are  making 
continual  etlbrts  for  the  acfpiisition  of  a  power  which  ought 
not,   in  my  opinion,  to  be  vested  in  them." 

These  honest  and  enlightened  representations  were  not  with- 
out their  efi'ect.  When  the  next  Governor,  Sir  Richard  Kcsats, 
was  appointed,  in  18K},  he  was  authorized  to  make  grants  of 
small  portions  of  land  to  industrious  persons.  The  traces  of 
the  old  policy  which  doomed  the  island  to  perpetual  sterility, 
did  not,  however,  soon  disappear;  and  the  infiuence  of  t lie 
merchant  class  was  lon-j;  felt  in  retardino;  the  cultivation  of  the 
soil  l)y  absurd  restrictions,  promi)ted  by  a  fear  that  the  people 
would  bo  drawn  olf  from  the  fishing  industries,  the  source  of 
their  own  wealth.  From  the  earliest  period  their  traditional 
policy  had  been  to  represent  to  the  i)aront  Government  that  the 
severity  of  the  climate  and  the  sterility  of  the  soil  proseuted 
insurmountable  ol)stacles  to  cultivation.  Even  in  these  prest'iit 
days  similar  re^)resentation3  have  been  re[)eatod,  to  the  injury 
of  the  country.  So  strong  was  the  feeling  against  Newfound- 
land at  the  date  referred  to,  that  permission  to  cultivate  iho 
soil,  for  which  the  peo[)le  had  long  been  begging,  was  at  lii'^t 
granted  reluctantly,  and  accom})anied  with  such  restrictions, 
that  it  was  impossible  for  agriculture  to  make  any  groat 
advances.  There  were  no  roads,  nor  any  prospect  of  any 
being  constructed ;  and  only  small  plots  of  ground,  four  acres 


;  1 


''THROUGH    THE   FIRE." 


77 


ill  oxtent,  were  granted  on  leases  of  twenty  or  thirty  years,  and 
siihjcct  to  a  quit-rent  of  from  two  shillings  and   -ixpence  per 
iicn;  to  ten   and  even   twenty   sliillings  per  annum.     Despite 
these  unfavorable  conditions,   the  number  of  ai>|)licati()ns  for 
land  was  greater  than  could  l)c  met.     In  contrast  to  this  hard 
iis:ig(!  was  the  policy  pursued,  at  the  very  same   time,  b}-  tiic 
British  Government,  in  promoting  the  settlement  of  the  neigli- 
hoiing  provinces  of  Nova  Scotiti,  New  Brunswick,  and  Canada. 
Millions  of  money  were  lavished  by  Government  in  promoting 
the  settlement  of  these  colonies.     Largo  grants  of  land  were 
oH'oicd  free  of  charge  ;  settlers  were  advertised  for ;  their  ex- 
jxTisos  were  paid;  means  were  ))rovided   for  their  subsistence 
till  the  land  made  returns;  hundreds  of  miles  of  road  were 
constructed;  canals   were  made,   and   harbors  were  improved 
and  fortified.     On  the  other  hand,  not  only  was  there  no  help 
given  to  Newfoundland,  but  a  heavy  rent  was  charged  for  small 
imtches  of  land,  let  on  short  leases.     Kvery  improvement  was 
accomplished  by  the  hard  toil  ot  the  poor  settlers  themselves, 
not  only  without  assistance,  but  in  opposition  to  the  wretched 
policy  of  the  Government.    Theii  lal)or  rendered  the  lands  valu- 
ahlc.  and  in  return  they  were  obliged  to  pay  a  rent,  and  were 
liahlo  to  be  dispossessed  of  the  sod  reclaimed  by  their  industry, 
at  the  termination  of  their  leases,  which  could  only  be  renewed 
on  })ayment  of  a  heavy  fine.     I'his  cruelly  obstructive  policy 
was  continued  for  many  years,  notwithstanding  the  representa- 
tions of  successive  governors,  and   was  only  effectually  ended 
when   the  colony  obtained  a  legislature  and  the  privilege  of 
local   self-government.     Governor   Keats,    in   one   of  his   de- 
spatches, told  the  parent  Government  that  St.  John's  had  now 
grown  into  a  large  commercial  town  of  ten  thousand  inhal)i- 
taiits ;  that  the  operations  of  the   fanner  and   gardener  were 
greatly  needed,  and  ,vere  extending  in  s[)ite  of  all  restraints; 
that  a  thousand  acres  around  the  town  were  under  cultivation, 
and  many  more  enclosed,  and  that  crops  of  hay,  potatoes,  and 
vegetables   of  all   kinds  were  raised.     "  The  environs  of  the 
town,"  he  added,  "the  natural  beauties  of  which  are  very  strik- 
ing, present  to  view  several  neat,  well-cultivated,  and  produc- 
tive little  farms." 


■Ira 


iU;, 


78 


NE  WFO  UXDLAND. 


i      , 
■f    t 

1 

; 

,  1 

Another  delusion  that  had  long  possessed  the  minds  of 
British  ntiitcsnien  received  at  this  time  a  complete  extinction. 
The  old  theory,  on  which  the  preservation  of  the  island  as  a 
fishing-station  had  been  urged,  was  that  these  fisheries  were  an 
invaluable  nursery  for  British  seamen.  Now  it  was  discovered 
that,  in  the  case  of  ships  of  war  visiting  the  island,  the  deser- 
tions of  the  seamen  were  more  numerous  than  at  any  other 
phicc  ;  and  at  the  same  time  the  immun^y  from  impressment 
was  a  temptation  to  men  in  the  United  Kingdom,  who  dn-aded 
such  a  n^casurc,  to  transfer  themselves  to  Newfoundland,  whore 
they  were  safe.  Thus,  so  far  from  being  a  nursery  for  men  to 
take  service  in  the  royal  navy,  the  island  was  discovered  to  he 
a  refuge  for  those  who  were  unwilling  to  serve. 

While  these  changes  were  slowly  working  their  way,  and 
thtisc  improvements  taking  root,  Newfoundland  was  enjoying  a 
period  of  unexampled  prosperity.  During  the  long  wars  which 
followed  the  French  Revolution,  the  Newfoundland  merchants 
were  relieved —  first  from  the  competition  of  the  French,  and 
then  from  that  of  the  Americans.  One  after  another  the  Con- 
tinental markets  opened  to  them  a  complete  monopoly.  The 
fishing-seasons,  too,  were  generally  favorable.  ^vi  the  samo 
time  fish  rose  to  three  times  its  usual  price,  reaching  at  Icnirtii 
fortj'-fivc  shillings  per  quintal.  The  wages  of  the  fishermen 
mcreased,  and,  in  consequence,  large  numbers  of  emigrants, 
•nany  of  them  from  Ireland,  sought  a  home  in  Newfoundhuid. 
In  1814  seven  thousand  arrived,  and  in  the  following  year, 
when  a  crash  was  inq'.ending,  there  came  four  thousand  more. 
From  1812  to  181()  St.  John's  doubled  its  [)opulation,  tliouan 
there  was  not  a  proportionate  increase  of  houses  for  the  accom- 
modation of  the  new  inhabitants.  Princely  fortunes  were  made 
l)y  the  capitalists  engaged  in  the  fisheries,  some  of  them  secur- 
ing from  £20,000  to  £40,000  profits  in  a  year.  The  value  of 
the  exports  rose  to  £2,1)00,000  per  am)um.  But  if  wages  were 
high  the  necessaries  of  life  reached  an  enormous  price.  Fh)ur 
was  £8  per  barrel,  and  pork  £12  per  barrel.  The  fishermen 
spent  their  earnings  lavishly  at  the  stores  of  the  merchants,  never 
dreaming  that  the  good  times  were  near  their  close.  Of  all  the 
great  accumulation  of  capital  at  this  time  no  part  went  to  the 


''THROUGH  Tin:  fire:' 


79 


pcnnanont  improvement  of  the  country.  When  the  eapitiiHsts 
had  realized  tlieir  fortunes  tiiey  retired  to  enjoy  them  in  otlicr 
lands,  and  the  country  was  no  richer  than  before.  Ivo  cllbrt 
was  made  to  open  up  roads  or  extend  airriculturo.  Everybody 
was  striving  to  make  money  out  of  the  fisheries.  A  lar;j;e  popu- 
lation had  accunujluted  in  a  few  years,  and  these  were  wholly 
dependent  on  an  industry  which  now  enjoyed  an  exceptional 
and  artificial  i)rosperity.  All  these  circumstances  ])repared  tLo 
way  for  the  collapse  which  followed  the  termination  of  the  war, 
and  for  two  or  three  years  of  disaster  and  sutfering  through 
which  the  colony  had  now  to  pass. 

The  treaty  of  Paris,  1S14,  which  ended  the  long  European 
oontlict,  followed  by  a  treaty  of  peace  with  America,  brought  to 
an  abrupt  tei-mination  the  abnormal  prosperity  which   had  at- 
tended the  prosecution  of  the  Newfoundland  lisheries.   \\y  one  of 
the  provisions  of  that  treaty,  the  French  right  of  tishery  on  the 
hanks  of  Newfoundland  and  on  the  coast  of  the  island  was  re- 
placed upon  the  footing  on  which  it  stood    in    17I>2.       Even 
iixreater  privilcg(!s  of  tishing  in  British  waters  were  conceded  to 
the  Americans.     Thoroughly  impressed  with  the  importance  of 
the  fisheries,  both  the  French  and  Americans  at  once  established 
a  system  of  bounties  for  their  encouragenient,  and  at  tlu;  same 
time   secured   to   their   own    tishermen    a    monoi)oly    of  their 
markets,  by  a  prohibitory  duty  on  the  import  of  I'oreign  fish. 
Tlie  result  was  a  rapid  development  of  the  French  and  Ameri- 
can lisheries  on  the  Banks,  and  on  the  part  of  the  coast  conceded 
to  them.     Those  who  had  been  reaping  rich  harvests  year  after 
year  now  found  themselves  com[)eting,  on  une(|ual  terms,  with 
foreigners  who  were  sustained  by  bounties,  and  whos<^  products 
met  theirs  in  all  tish-consiuning  coimtries.     No  provision  had 
been  made  in  prospect  of  such  a  change  during  the  prosperous 
years  which  })receded  it.     The  crash  came  at  the  close  of  1(S15, 
liiinging  ruin  and  bankrui)tcy  to  a  large  proportion  of  the  mer- 
chants and  planters.     Tiie  price  of  fish  fell  from  forty-five  to 
twelve    shillings    per  (juintal.      Numbers    of  large    mercantile 
tirms  became  hoi)elessly   involved.      Others   realized   whatever 
property  remained  and  retired  from  the  country.     Only  a  few 
managed  to  weather  the  storm.     The  system  of  credit  on  which 


;»; 


w> 


ft  I? 


80 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


l)iisinoss  was  condiictod  added  to  the  disaster.  Xo  less  than 
nine  hundred  cases  arising  out  of  extensive  failures  came  Ix'fore 
the  civil  courts.  It  was  estimated  that  bills  to  the  value  of  a 
million  ])ouiids  sterling  were  returned  jjrotested  in  the  disastrous 
years  of  181 '),  1<S1(),  and  1817,  occasioned  hy  the  insolvency  of 
houses  engagcci  in  the  lishei'ies.  The  working  and  middle  classes 
suffered  with  tiie  rest.  Sui)i)Iies  for  the  tisheries  were  suddenly 
cut  olf  or  curtailed.  Multitudes  were  thus  deprived  of  the 
ni(!ans  of  earning  their  bread  ;  while  many,  by  the  insolveui  y 
of  their  employers,  failed  to  receive  tlie  wages  earned  during 
the  sununer.  Xor  was  this  all.  The  planters  and  Hsheriuen 
had  Ju'cn  in  the  ]ial)it  of  leaving  their  savings,  during  i)rosi)er- 
ous  years,  in  the  hands  of  the  merchants.  The  greater  part  of 
this  hardly  won  money  was  swept  away  by  the  insolvency  of 
their  bankers. 

It  is  estimated  that  the  working  class  lost  a  sum  little  sliort 
of  ,£'400,000  sterling.  The  large  poi)uIation,  attracted  by  ihc 
excei)tional  prosperity  of  i)revious  j'cars,  could  not  now,  in 
their  i)resent  de[)re8scd  condition,  be  sustained  by  the  lisherics. 
liarge  numbers  were  left  luieniployed,  dependent  on  the 
charity  of  their  neighbors.  It  became  absolutely  necessary  to 
remove!  some  of  them.  At  the  i)id>lic  exi)ense  many  of  the 
most  destitute  were  shipped  to  Ireland,  and  over  a  thonsMiid 
Merc  sent  to  Halifax.  Had  the  policy  of  colonization  been  fol- 
lowed in  i)receding  years,  and  a  jjortion  of  the  vast  ])rotits 
realized  from  the  tisheries  spent  on  the  encouragement  of  agii- 
cidture,  the  disasters  woidd  have  been  greatly  mitigated.  The 
bitt(>r  fruits  of  the  old  i-eslrictive  system  were  now  to  l)e 
gathered,  and  the  innocent   had  to  sutler  with  the  guilty. 

One  calamity  now  followed  close  on  another.  In  FebruaiT, 
IHK),  a  terrible  lire  broke  out  in  St.  John's,  which  destroyed 
one  hundred  and  twenty  houses  and  left  fifteen  hundred  per- 
sons without  a  liome.  The  loss  of  i)roi)erty  was  estimated  at 
£100,000.  The  distress  occasioned  by  this  disaster  was  wwz- 
mented  by  the  inch'ment  season  in  which  it  occurred.  The 
lislu'ry  of  the  following  sununer  was  very  poor,  and  the  \n'wv 
of  tish  low.  'The  spring  s<>al-tishei'y  of  1S17  was  a  failure,  ami 
the  sununer  one  of  the  gloomiest  ever  known,  as  regarded  iho 


''THROUGH   THE  FIRE." 


81 


hu.sino.ss  of  the  country.  In  XovoinluM'  of  the  .same  year  canio 
what  .st'oined  to  bo  the  crowning  calauiitios  of  the  c()h)ny.  On 
the  7th  of  that  month  another  ttn-rihle  tire  in  St.  John's  .swept 
away  one  hundred  and  thirt}'  liouse.s,  l)esi<k'S  stores  and 
wliarves,  destroying  {)ro|»ert\'  to  the  vahie  of  half  a  million 
])tiiiMds  sterling.  This  was  followed  by  a  third  great  tire  on 
the  I'lst  November,  Avhieh  destroyed  a  considerable  part  of  the 
I)ii>iiu'>s  portion  of  the  city  sj)ared  by  the  former  conflagrations, 
and  seemed  to  comi)Iete  the?  misery  of  {lit  inhabitants.  Scenes 
of  licai't-rending  distress  followed.  Two  thousand  persons  were 
lit't  without  a  home,  many  of  them  having  lost  all  they  jios- 
s('>>(m1.  An  appeal  for  heli)  met  with  a  liberal  res})onse.  Pro- 
\i>i()iis  were  desi)alched  from  Halifax  to  save  the  inhabitants 
fioiu  starvation.  The  people  of  Boston  loaded  a  vessel  with  a 
liirgc  cargo  of  food  of  various  kinds,  —  an  act  of  generosity  which 
is  still  gratefully  remembered  in  Newfoundland.  The  JUitish 
(iovernmeiit  sent  prompt  and  liberal  aid.  The  governor,  the 
nieirliants,  and  the  wealthier  classes  exerted  themselves  to  the 
utmost  to  relieve;  the  wants  of  the;  inhabitants.  Though  there 
were  some  disturbances  caused  by  want  and  misery  during  this 
trying  season,  yet,  on  the  whole,  tiie  people  met  theii'  <  alam- 
ilies  with  fortitude  and  [)atience.  It  was  not  long  liefore 
the  dark  hoiu"  ])assed  away.  The  year  1<S1H  witnessed  the 
cniiiuiencement  of  a  reviving  prosperity.  'V\\v  lisheiies  were 
remarkably  successful,  and  tiie  prices  of  tish  in  foreign  niaikets 
Were  considerably  enhance(l.  A  favorable  change  was  experi- 
eiucd  all  over  the  connnercial  world.  'l'h(»  courage  of  the 
Ni'wfoimdianders  nivived,  and  industrial  activity  was  every- 
where visibl(>.  St.  John's  was  speedily  rebuilt  on  an  im|irove(l 
id  precautions   were  taken   to   |)revent   a  rcein'reiiee  of 


|il;ni,  ai 


Inv 


he    streets   wer(^   widened,   and    so 


lid 


an( 


I 


substantial 


hiiildiiigs  replaced   the  crou(le(l   wooden   erections   whii'li    had 
I'uniished  fuel  to  former  conllagrations. 

Admiral  I'ickmore  had  been  governoi'  during  these  (  ajaiiii- 
toiis  years.  He  was  the  lirst  resident  governor;  the  practice 
I'uiiiieily  heing  that  the  governors  arrivecl  in  duly  or  Aiigu-t, 
•'imlleri  for  JMiglaiid  in  ( )etober  or  November,  lleneeforward 
I'ley   were  re(|uii'e<|   lo  resid(>  constantly   in  the   island,      (iov- 


^:V 


m 


i|f||k|| 


82 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


criior  Pickinorc  died  in  St.  John's,  in  February,  1818,  and  his 
remains  were  sent  to  England.  lie  was  suecceded,  in  July  of 
the  same  y(nir,  hy  Sir  Cliarles  Hamilton. 

Durini^  the  darkest  year  of  this  i)eri()d  of  distress  the  nier- 
ehants  ai)plied  for  aid  to  the  liritish  (lovernment ;  and  throu^^h 
their  earnest  solicitations  a  select  conunitt(;e  of  the  House  of 
C/ommons  was  a[)pointed  to  "inquire  into  the  state  of  trade  in 
Newfoundland  and  into  the  situation  of  that  settlement."  Tlu^ 
connnitte(!  met  in  June,  1817.  The  merchants  projwsed  two 
modes  by  which  aid  miiiht  be  jriven.  One  Avas  th(i  grantini>-  of 
a  bounty,  to  enal)le  tiiem  to  eomi)ete  with  the  French  and 
Americans,  who  were  sustained  by  bounties;  the  other  was  \\n\ 
transi)ortation  of  the  priiicii)al  i)art  of  the  inhabitants,  now 
numbcrini^  70,000,  to  thc^  neii>'hborin_u-  colonies  of  Nova  Scotia, 
New  Urunswiclv,  or  Canada.  I'rue  to  their  traditions,  the 
merchants  attributed  the  present  de[)ressed  state  of  the  fisher- 
ies mainly  to  the  increase  of  the  [>o[)ulation  and  the  settlement 
of  the  country.  This  was  not  tiie  first  time  they  had  projjosed 
the  dei)ortalion  of  the  inhabitants.  In  1(!70,  "the  m(>rchants, 
owners,  and  mast(n"s  of  shi[)s,  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  west- 
ern part  of  the  kiuiidom,  adventurers  to  Newfoundland,  peti- 
tioned thi'  kinu'  (Charles  II.)  that  the  resident  inhabilants 
and  their  families,  then  amountini;^  to  3,171,  should  he 
renio\('d  to  Jamaica,  St.  Christopher,  or  some  other  of  Ills 
^Majesty's  plantations."  Now,  in  1817,  the  population  bein^- 
70,00(1,  tliey  actually  proposed  their  removal  as  the  means 
of  their  own  relief.  Their  traditional  attachment  to  tlieir  old 
monopoly  blinded  them  to  all  othc  r  considerations.  The  coin- 
miltt'c  of  the  House  of  Connnons,  naturally  enouyh,  in(|uii'eil 
whi'lher,  as  the  tisheries  were  insutli*  lent  for  their  suppoil .  a 
portion  of  the  inlial>itants  could  not  find  profitable'  occupatimi 
in  the  cultivation  of  the  soil.  The  repiv  made  bv  wilnos 
after  witness  was  that  the  auricultural  improvenuMit  of  New- 
foundland was  utterly  impracticable,  and  only  one;  UK'rciianl 
ur<i(Ml  t'ucoiu'a^-ement  of  atii'iculture  as  a  r(>medy  for  the  i)(»\- 
erty  of  the  people.  The  result  was  that  no  ellbrt  was  made  lo 
open  tlu!  country  for  aijricultural  settlements,  and  thinus  were 
left  to  riu'hl  themsehcs  as  best  they  could.     It  is  satisfactory, 


''TIIROUOII  THE  FIRE." 


83 


lu)\vever,  to  find  that  the  merchants  failed  to  obtain  bounties  — 
the  thing  they  were  really  aiming  at.  At  the  very  time  that 
they  were  thus  trying  to  dej)oi)ulate  the  country,  the;  local 
aulhoritie.s  in  ^Massachusetts  were  giving  a  bounty  I'or  each 
Newfoundland  fisherman  brought  into  the  State.  How  utterly 
unfounded  were  their  representations  regarding  the  sterility  of 
the  soil  and  the  severity  of  the  climate  appears  from  the  fact 
tliMt  eighteen  years  afterwards,  in  183G,  notwithstanding  the 
restrictions  on  the  cultivation  of  the  soil,  the  census  gave  the 
value  of  the  annual  produce  at  £1()1.2;)4  for  the  land  then 
under  cultivation.  In  the  census  of  184.')  tlu;  estimated  value 
of  land  in  cultivation  and  of  agricultural  stock  is  given  at 
£(!77,()40.  In  fa(!t,  wherever  ortlinary  skill  and  industry  have 
hi'fu  exercised  in  the  clearaiuie  and  cultivation  of  the  soil,  it 
has  never  failed  to  repay  the  labor  expended  on  it.  The  agricul- 
tiu'al  i)oi:ulations  of  Newfoundland  are  more  comfoi'table  and 
iii(li'j)eiident  than  those  exclusively  engaged  in  the  fisheries. 

Though  the  colony  had  l)egun  to  recover  iVom  the  severe 
hlows  inllieted  on  its  prosperity  by  the  events  rel'erred  to.  yet 
the  ellects  of  those  three  years  of  adversitv  were  felt  long 
afterwards.  The  heavy  losses  sustained  ))y  the  working  clashes 
iiii[)()verished  large  numbers  of  them,  and  the  precarious  re- 
turns of  the  fisheries  kept  them  in  a  state  of  pov(!rty.  Dur- 
ing each  winter  season  many  were  dependent  on  charity.  The 
evil,  however,  did  not  fiul  to  spread,  until  many  had  fallen 
into  a  state  of  chronic  pauperism,  needing  relief  every  recur- 
ring winter.  The  recklessness  and  imi)rovidenee,  general cd 
liy  d('i)('ndencc  on  pul)lie  charity  among  this  class,  proved  to 
he  one  of  the  greatest  dillii'ullies  that  the  goxcrning  powei-s 
had  to  contend  with.  It  is  not  woiulerful,  however,  thai  such 
a  condition  of  things  should  exist,  when  we  remember  how  an 
ai'liiicial  [)rosi)erity  had  attracted  emigrants  in  large  numliei's, 
and  that  a  sudden  collapse  plunged  the  country  into  almost 
universal  bankruptcy,  disarranging  its  cuitire  business  from  onii 
end  of  the  island  to  the  othc'r.  This  was  followed,  as  we  have 
ah'eady  seen,  by  destructive  fires,  which  di^vastated  the  capi- 
1  il.  The  i)auperisra  created  by  these  calanntics  was  h)ng  a 
li  avy  burden  on  the  resources  of  the  country.      It  is  impossi- 


1    I 


i  i 


■i  :;.:, 

1    -   'it 

1  ^HflH 

1 

Ill ; ,.,  ■ 


84 


XE  WFO  UXDLAND. 


h 


hlc  indeed  to  withhold  our  admiration  at  the  fortitude  and 
patience  with  which  such  severe  sufFerings  were  borne  hy  iIk; 
people,  and  at  the  energy  and  spirit  they  disphiyed  in  .sur- 
mounting the  difficulties  they  had  to  encounter. 

The  grievances  which  still  pressed  on  the  colonists,  and  the 
imperfect  administration  of  the  laws,  began  at  length  to  sug- 
gest to  them  the  necessity  of  seeking  for  the  acquisition  of 
institutions  for  the  self-government  of  the  country.  An 
agitation  for  local  legislative  power  was  commenced  in  LSiM, 
but  it  took  more  than  ten  years  to  wring  from  the  British 
Government  the  concession  of  a  representative  government. 
The  reply  to  petitions  from  the  inhabitants  was  that  the  colony 
was  not  yet  ripe  for  it ;  that  the  revenue  was  insufficient ;  that 
trouble  and  disorder  were  likely  to  arise  by  the  outcouK^  of  the 
changes  that  Avere  asked  for.  The  supporters  of  the  old  des- 
potic s^'stem,  as  a  matter  of  course,  were  on  the  side  of  the 
Knglisji  ministers ;  and  i'  was  only  when  the  pressure  of  i)ul)- 
lic  oi)inion  l)ecanie  overw'.iclming  that  the  much-needed  legisla- 
tive power  was  granted  'o  the  colony. 

The  year  1824  ',vitncssc>d  the  introduction  of  a  very  important 
measure  for  th.;  l)etter  administration  of  justice  in  the  island, 
{\\(y  d(>f'cts  of  tl;c  existin<>'  int^onu'ruous  svstem  being  verviireat. 
Disorderly  i)ract'c(>s  had  crei)t  into  the  courts,  and  loud  coni- 
[daints  of  the  decisions  of  the  surrogates  especially  wen^  made 
To  remedy  this  an  Act  was  passed  l)y  the  r)ritish  Parliament 
providing  that  the  Supreme  Court  should  bo  held  by  the  chief 
jiidire  and  two  assistant-judges,  and  that  the  colony  should  he 
divided  into  three  districts,  in  each  of  which  a  Circuit  Coiiit 
should  l)e  held  annually  by  one  of  the  three  judges,  an  appe.il 
from  the  decisions  of  which  was  ]iermitted  to  the  Supreme  Court. 
The  same  act  gave  the  governor  power  to  institute  a -Court  of 
Civil  Jurisdiction  on  the  coast  of  Labrador.  Tiiis  act  with  llic 
royal  charter  issued  in  consequence  of  it,  has  formed  the  bjisis 
of  an  excellent  system  of  jurisprudence  in  the  colony,  ami 
secured  for  the  peoi)le  the  greatest  of  blessings  —  the  pure  admin- 
istration of  justice,  on  the  princii)les  of  Hnglish  law. 

The  connnission  given  to  Sir  Thomas  Cochrane  as  governor. 
iu   1S25,  ordered  that  a  Council  should  divide  Avith  him  lln' 


''THROUGH  THE   FIRE." 


S5 


rt'spon.sil)ility  of  his  govcrnmont,  former  governors  having  heeii 
autocrats,  acting  on  their  own  discretion.  This  Council,  nomi- 
nated by  the  Crown,  consisted  of  the  Chief  fFusticc,  the  two  assist- 
ant-judges, and  the  commander  of  the  troops  stationed  in  St. 
John's.  It  may  be  regarded  as  tlic  lirst  step  towards  a  repre- 
sentative government.  Sir  Tliomas  Cochrane  proved  to  he  nn 
energetic  governor,  deeply  interested  in  promoting  imjjrove- 
nicnts,  and  specially  anxious  to  encourage  the  cultivation  of  the 
soil.  He  was  much  more  liberal  in  making  grants  of  land  than 
his  i)redecessors,  though  even  his  leases  were  still  clogged  with 
unwise  restrictions.  IIo  saw  the  necessity  of  roads,  if  agricul- 
ture was  to  make  progress,  and  his  Govermncnt  was  rendered  for- 
ever memorable  by  the  construction  of  the  Hrst  roads  ever  made 
in  the  island.  One  of  these  extended  to  Portugal  Cove,  nine 
miles  distant  from  the  capital ;  another  to  Torbay  ;  and  another 
to  Waterford  Bridge.  Along  these  highways  settlements  and 
cultivation  crept  steadily,  and  neat  farm-houses  were  erected. 
A  foundation  was  thus  laid  for  future  improvements.  Ui)  to  this 
date,  though  the  country  had  been  inhabited  for  centuries,  the 
construction  of  roads  had  never  been  attempted,  as  it  was  con- 
sidered that  for  fishing-stations  the  sea  furnished  sufficient  means 
of  intercommunnication,  and  the  settlement  of  the  country  was 
not  contemplated.  Governor  Cochrane  also  connncneed  and 
conii)leted  the  erection  of  a  new  Govermnent  House,  on  such  a 
grand  scale  that  it  cost  the  British  Government  £30,000.  The 
ideas  of  the  people  began  to  expand,  and  the  desire  for  represent- 
ative institutions  now  extended  to  all  classes.  Public  meetings 
w  ere  held ;  })etitions  to  the  Im[)erial  Parliament  poured  in,  and 
at  length  the  pressure  became  irresistible.  In  1832  the  great 
boon  of  representative  government  was  conferred  on  Newfound- 
land. The  island  was  divided  into  nine  electoral  districts,  each 
of  which  was  to  have  one  or  more  representatives,  according  to 
the  jiopidation  ;  and  every  man  twenty-one  years  of  age,  wlnt 
had  occupied  a  dwelling-house  for  one  year  innnediiitely  preced- 
ing the  day  of  election,  was  entitled  to  a  vote.  The  first  local 
legislature  wasoi)ened,  with  all  duo  pomp  and  ceremony,  by  the 
governor,  on  the  lirst  day  of  the  year  1833,  which  marked  a  new- 
era  in  the  history  of  the  colony.     The  people  had  now  obtained 


<■  !    i 


,.  ■''  ''\ 


•'  i 


'ii 


-'lil 


jiii^l 


86 


NE  WFOUXDLAND. 


tlio  power  of  regulating  their  own  affairs,  expending  the  revenuo, 
making  all  internal  arrangements,  and  enaeting  laws.  Their 
destiny  was  in  their  own  hands,  and  such  a  power,  once  eoii- 
ferred,  eould  never  be  permanently  withdrawn.  It  was  certain 
ultimately  to  secure  responsible  government,  with  all  its  rights 
and  })rivileges. 

Sixteen  years  had  now  elapsed  since  the  troubles  and  losses 
of  1810-17  had  brought  down  the  fortunes  of  the  colony. 
These  dark  days  were  now  forgotten.  Trade  was  once  more  in 
a  llourisliin<x  condition.  Nothinijr  is  more  strikinij  in  reirard  to 
the  business  of  the  country  than  its  elasticity.  In  18o4  tlio 
value  of  the  exports  was  £820, (559  ;  the  value  of  the  imports  was 
£(>18,7')7.  No  less  than  888  British  vessels,  carrying  l(l."),.')70 
tons,  and  20  Spanish  and  American  vessels,  carrying  2,979  tons, 
Avcre  emplo\^ed  in  tiie  trade.  The  spring  seal-tishery  had  now 
attained  large  dimensions,  and  employed  nearly  3,000  men  from 
the  })ort  of  St.  John's  alone,  and  125  vessels.  Conception  \\i\\ 
sent  out  218  ships,  manned  l)y  4,894  men;  and  many  other  out- 
harbors  sentlar2;e  contingents  to  this  lucrative  thouijh  dangerous 
industry.  The  })opulation  of  the  island  was  now  about  75,0()D. 
and  that  of  St.  John's  15,000.  The  years  which  followed  the 
introduction  of  rei)resentative  government  Avere  anything  ]>ut 
halcyon  davs.  Political  conflicts  arose,  a.id  were  carried  on 
with  miu'h  virulence  for  man}'-  years.  In  the  hetit  of  party  passion 
men  forgot  the  ordinary  courtesies  and  amenities  of  life.  Kan- 
cor,  hatred,  and  all  the  selfish  passions  had  full  swing,  and  the 
press  teemed  with  fierce  and  unscrupulous  manifestoes.  Unhap- 
l)ily.  religious  animosities  mingled  in  the  strife,  and  added  tlic 
bitterest  in<>Tedient  to  the  contest. 

From  the  very  first  the  legislative  machinery  was  found  to  'x' 
defective,  as  there  was  no  arrangement  for  securing  a  harmoni- 
ous cooperation  between  the  two  Chambers.  The  House  of 
Assembly  was  composed  of  representatives  of  the  people,  who 
naturally  supported  popular  rights,  and  claimed  to  exercise  the 
same  functions  as  those  of  the  British  House  of  Commons.  The 
Council  Avas  composed  of  nominees  of  the  Crown,  selected  ex- 
clusively from  the  merchant  class,  who  (>xercised  all  executivi' 
fiuictions,  and  lujid  the  principal  offices  of  emolument  anion;:' 


''THROUGH   THE   FIIlEr 


.S7 


Ihoinsolves.  The  House  of  Asseml)ly,  in  which  the;  executive 
was  nol  represented,  found  themselves  to  ])ossess  powers  of 
(ItliatiniT,  passing  measures,  and  voting  moneys;  l)ut  the  Coun- 
cil coidd  throw  out  all  their  measurers,  and  were  irresponsible  to 
the  ])eople.  Assembly  and  Coimeil  were  at  once  found  to  be  in 
aulJigonism,  the  one  })assingbillj,  the  other  swamping  them  :  so 
that  the  new  Constitution  was  out  of  gear  from  the  lirsl.  Har- 
monious uctiou  under  such  an  arrangement  was  almost  ini})ossi- 
l)!c. 

'i'o  these  elements  of  discord  were  now  unhai)pily  added  ani- 
mosities arising  from  religious  and  sectarian  divisions,  which 
ushered  in  a  dark  and  troubled  i)eriod  in  the  history  of  th(>  colonv. 
When  the  religious  element  is  allowed  to  Uiinufle  in  political 
strife  it  is  sure  to  take  a  rancorous  form,  and  bring  countless  evils 
in  its  train.  The  po})ulation  at  this  time  was  com[)oscd  of  one- 
half  Protestants  and  the  other  Roman  Catholics,  the  latter  being 
Irish  or  of  Irish  descent.  Hitherto  they  had  lived  in  harmony 
and  mutual  good-will.  The  Catholics  had  at  one  time  been 
harshly  persecuted,  but  ])erfect  freedom  of  worship)  had  been  con- 
ceded in  1784,  and  in  1829  they  were  tinally  relieved  of  all  civil 
disabilities.  The  introduction  of  representative  government 
in'()V(>d  to  be  the  api)le  of  discord  among  the  churches.  Old 
jealousies  and  distrusts  were  revived.  The  memory  of  ancient 
wrongs  and  grievances  awoke.  Each  sect  dreadt'd  tlu;  political 
nseeiidency  of  the  other,  and  strove  to  gain  the  controlling  j)ower. 
I'rotestants  and  Catholics  were  arrayed  against  one  another  in 
the  political  arena.  The  press  stimulated  the  strife  by  violent 
and  vituperative  attacks  on  individuals.  The  worst  i)assions 
Were  evoked.  Politics  destroyed  even  the  peace  of  social  and 
lomniercial  life.  In  two  instancies  outrages  of  a  revolting  char- 
:i(  ter  were  peri)etrated,  which  added  fuel  to  the  ilame.  \'iol(Mit 
scenes  at  elections  were  conunon,  and  po))ular  connnotions  had 
to  l»e  held  in  check  by  the  trooi)s.  The  agitation  extended  all 
over  the  country,  and  continued,  though  in  a  mitigated  form, 
lor  some  years.  Over  this  period  of  political  and  religious  van- 
<()r  it  is  best  to  draw  a  veil,  and  to  consign  the  memory  of  it  to 
olilivion.  It  produced  only  evil  results,  which  retarded  the  ini- 
piovementof  the  col  )ny,  and  wasted  energie>»  which  should  have 


U\ 


w 


'■ 


s, 


ir^iU. 


88 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


h 


1)0011  (lovotod  to  tho  social  interests  of  the  poojtle.  Happily  the 
strifo  lias  loiii;  since  ondod,  and  hoth  parties  have  learned  the 
bitter  hut  wholesome  lesson  that  there  is  no  i^ood,  and  may  he 
much  harm,  in  hrin-zing  purely  religious  questions  into  political 
conllicts. 

Th(!  height  to  which  the  political  fever  ran  will  ])e  understood 
wIkmi  it  is  seen  that  even  the  Chi(!f  flustice  became  involved  in 
party  conllicts.  Chief  Justice  lioulto'"  was  charged  before  tlu; 
Privy  Council  by  the  House  of  Assembly  with  l)eing  a  politicjd 
pariisan,  a  corrupter  of  justice,  and  a  magistrate  who  endangcM'cd 
the  Constitution  and  peace  of  the  connnunity.  The  Privy 
Council  actjuitted  him  of  these  charges,  but  recoinmendcul  his 
removal  for  having  indiscreetly  permitted  himself  "  so  much  to 
partici[)at(!  in  the  strong  feelings  which  appeared  unfortunately 
to  have  intluenced  the  ditrerent  parties  in  the  colony." 

Notwithstanding  tho  antagonism  between  the  House  of 
Assembly  and  tho  Council,  tho  benefits  of  self-government  soon 
became  a[)parent  in  the  [)assing  of  many  exceedingly  useful 
measures  such  as  wore  impossible  under  the  old  rejlme.  Acts 
wore  passed  for  the  erection  of  light-houses  at  various  points; 
along  the  coast.  An  Education  Pill  sanctioned  an  annual  vote 
of  money  for  the  promotion  of  education.  Poards  were  appoint(>(l 
to  carry  out  its  provisions  in  each  district.  Another  measure 
provided  for  the  establishment  of  an  academy  in  St.  John's  for 
tho  promotion  of  higher  education. 

Sir  Thomas  Cochrane  was  succeeded,  in  1834,  by  Cai)taiii 
Prescott  as  governor.  He  made  liberal  grants  of  land  to 
hundreds  of  poor  families,  and  encouraged  agriculture  so  ellect- 
ually  that  during  his  term  of  office  large  quantities  of  land 
were  reclaimed  from  the  wilderness.  The  House  of  Assembly 
api)ropriated  £.'JO,0;)l)  for  roads  and  bridges,  and  whercvir 
these  roads  were  opened  [)ersons  were  soon  found  to  settle 
upon  the  adjacent  lands. 

In  1841  Sir  John  Harvey  assumed  the  government.  Having 
resided  \o\vz  iu  the  nei<ihborin<i"  colonies,  ho  had  a  i)ci  fci  i 
kno\vl(!dge  of  their  soil  and  climate.  Setting  himself  the  ta-k 
of  acijuiring  accurate  information  regarding  the  agricultuial 
capabilities  of  Newfoundland,  he  was  soon  able  to  pronounce  tiic 


"TIIROUGIf  THE  FIRE." 


9>^ 


local  soil  and  climate  not  inferior  to  those  of  Xova  Scotia,  Xeu' 
Uriniswick,  or  Canada.     He  used  the  most  strenuous  ellorts  to 
improve  and  extend  agriculture  and  promote  the  settlement  of 
the  country.     He  founded  an  ai^ricultural  society,  and  opentMl 
its  proceedings  with  a  .speech  which  went  far  to  dispel  existing 
prejudices.     In  his  speech  before  tlu;  legislature,  after  having 
resided  a  year  in  the  country,  he  said  :  "  Uoth  as  respects  climate 
and  agricultural  capabilities  N(;wfoundlaiid,  in  many  respects, 
nectl  not  shriid<  from  a  c()mi)arison  with  the  most  favored  prov- 
inces of  British  North  America.      Its  sunnners,  though  short, 
enjoy  an  extraordinary  degree  of  vegetative  power,  which  only 
requires  to  l)e  didy  taken  advantage  of;  its  winters  an^  neither 
unusually  long  nor  severe  ;  and  its  autumnal  seasons  are  as  open 
and  tine  as  those  of  any  of  the  surrounding  colonies.      In  point 
of  rich  natural  grasses  no  part  of  British  Xorth  America  produces 
greater  abundance.     Xewfoundland,  in  fact,  appears  to  me  to 
1)0  calculated  to  become  essentially  a  rich  grazing  country,  and 
its  varied  agricultural  resources  appear  only  to  re(]uire  roads  and 
settlements  to  Ibrcethem  into  highly  remunerative  develoj)ment." 
He  also  urged  the  construction  of  highways  into  the  fertile  belts 
of  the  interior,  in  order  to  promote  settlement.      In  response  to 
his  recommendation  the  legislature  voted  £40,000  for  roads  and 
bridges,  a  proof  of  the  wonderful  n^volution  men's  ideas  had 
undergone  in  re<rard  to  the  character  of  the  country.     The  value 
of  land  rapidly  increased  under  Sir  John  Harvey's  administra- 
tion, i)articularly  in  the  neighl>orhood  of  the  cai)ital  and  around 
other  populous  settlements.     A  most  important  measure  was 
passed  during  his  govermnent,  by  Avhich  it  was  enacted  that  all 
("rown  lands   should  be  sold   by  auction   at  a  moderate   upset 
price,  in  lots  of  not  more  than  a  hundred  acres,  and  the  j)roceeds 
iip[)iied  to  the  internal  imi)rovement  of  the  island.     This  was 
one  of  the  greatest  boons  yet  obtained  for  the  settlement  of  the 
ciilony. 

In  consequence  of  the  discord  which  still  })revailed  ]»etween 
the  two  Chambers,  the  Imperial  Parliament,  in  1842,  passed  an 
"Act  for  Amendinj;  the  Constitution  of  Newfoundland."  The 
.iiiicndment  consisted  in  the  abolition  of  the  Council  as  a  distii>ct 
Inanch  of  the  legislature,  and  in  authorizing  its  members  to  sit 


:'  I    \\ 


U  !| 


!..       !i 


90 


XEWFOUXDLAXD. 


'« 

and  vote  in  the  House  ot'Asseiiil)ly,  where  tlicy  constituted  two- 
fiftlis  of  the  whole.  Thus  wiis  tbnned  what  was  known  sis 
"The  Anialirainate<l  Assembly,"  which  continued  till  l.S4il,  wlicii 
the  Constitution  was  restored. 

It  is  hut  rii^lit  to  state,  lest  un<hu>  inijjortance  should  l»(j 
attaehcd  to  these  political  commotions,  that  it  was  chiefly  at  the 
period  ot'  each  ((uadreiuiial  election  that  scenes  of  confusion  took 
place,  and  that  the  stormy  passions  then  (!nL'"en(h'red  suhsidcl 
as  (jiiickly  as  they  arose.  There  was  no  tendency  manifotcd 
to  serious  crime  or  chronic  social  disorder  among  either  of  the 
two  o])i)osinir  parties.  -Sir  llichard  Homiycastle,  in  his  excellent 
and  iin[)artial  work  on  the  colony,  tells  us  that  "scarcely  any- 
thiuir  worth  nientioninii:  in  the  wav  of  riot  or  l)reach  of  the 
peace  has  ever  occurred  at  any  of  these  elections,  excepting 
once,  at  Carhonear,  in  1840,  althouijh,  at  the  last  election  in  the 
capital  it  was  deemed  recjulsito  to  keep  the  ti'oops  on  the  alert." 
.  .  .  "The  Irish  are  an  excitable  race,  which  they  themselves 
(h)  not  atfect  to  deny  ;  they  are  easily  led,  l>ut  difficult  to  drive. 
IJut  the  irood  (pialities  of  the  Irish  peasant  abroad  an;  very 
prominent."  .  .  .  "  A  more  peaceabK;,  resi)eetable,  loyal,  or  a 
kinder-hearted  race  than  the  Newfoundland  English  and  Iii>li, 
whether  emiirrant  or  native-born,  I  never  met  with;  all  tliey 
want,  now  that  temperance  has  so  beneficially  operated  iii-oii 
them,  is  education,  agriculture,  roads,  and  the  qu*  ^t  which  ;i 
firm,  decided,  and  impartial  Government  jjromises  to  have  in 
store  for  them."  When  it  is  remembered  that,  at  this  time, 
half  th(^  l)()l)ulation  were  Irish  or  of  Irish  descent,  among  whom 
it  might  be  expected  memories  of  old-world  strifes,  wrongs,  and 
oppressions  would  be  rife  ;  and  that  the  other  half  were  I'rot- 
estant  and  of  English  descent,  accustomed  for  years  to  hold 
the  ascendency,  and  headed  by  the  wealthy  mercantocracy.  who 
were  not  inclined  to  give  up  their  time-honored  claim  to  ndo, 
it  would  not  have  been  wonderful  to  find,  in  such  a  society, 
atrocities  and  crimes  abounding  in  a  country  where  the  arm  of 
the  law  was  felt  but  feebly.  "So  far  was  this  from  being  the 
ease,'"  says  Sir  Richard  Boimycastle,  "there  has  not  been  a 
case  of  ca[)ital  punishment  for  years  ;  the  people  are  very 
orderly   and   respectful    to   their    superiors ;    temperance   has 


*' THROUGH   THE  FIRE:' 


91 


enrolled  under  its  banners  the  givater  proportion,  and  hoiise- 
hnakiiiir  and  serious  crimes  arc  actually  unknown ;  and  it  is 
universally  admitted  that  there  is  no  country  in  the  civilized 
uoild,  whei'c  "greater  simplicity  of  manners  or  less  crime  exists, 
than  in  Xewfoundland." 

The  foreiroinf;  statement  in  regard  to  the  pea'-eahle  character 
of  the  people  is  as  true  to-day  as  when  it  was  made  hy  Boiiny- 
tast le  forty  years  ago.  Now  that  the  memory  of  the  political 
conliicts  of  bygone  years  is  fading  away,  \\\v  jjeople  seen)  to 
liavi'  learned  this  great  lesson,  that  the  country  unist  not  be 
froverned  in  the  interests  of  a  class  or  party,  but  for  the  benelit 
of  the  whole  ;  that  ofliees  of  trust  and  emolument  must  bo 
0(|ii;dly  open  to  all,  without  regard  to  religious  or  other 
distinctions;  and  that  the  ascendency  of  any  one  section, 
^vlicther  denominational,  mercantile,  or  national,  to  sway  the 
(lostinics  of  the  country,  cannot  be  tolerated.  Th(!  baneful 
cH'ccts  of  religious  animosities  in  the  past  lead  all  intelligent 
and  patriotic  men  to  resist  their  introduction  into  future 
political  contests. 

lender  the  progressive  governnient  of  Sir  John  TIarvey  the 
colony  advanced  greatly.  Agricult  ure  made  considerable  st  rides, 
and  the  staple  industry  of  the  tisheries  also  extended.  Postal 
conununication  was  improved.  In  IS K)  a  mail  sailing-packet 
was  a[)pointed  to  ply  fortnightly  between  St.  John's  and 
Haiilax  ;  and  in  1844  this  was  followed  by  the  tirst  steam-packet 
bcarinir  a  mail  for  Newfoundland. 

It  was  in  1840,  the  last  year  of  Sir  John  Harvey's  adminis- 
tration, that  St.  John's  passed  through  perhaps  the  most  terrible 
trial  to  which  it  had  yet  been  subjected.  On  the  9th  of  June  a 
tire  broke  out  in  the  western  end  of  the  city,  which  swe|)t  every- 
thing before  it,  and,  before  night  closed  in,  three-fourths  of  this 
Wealthy  and  populous  city  were  a  smoking  mass  of  ruins.  The 
rapidity  of  the  terrible  conflagration  was  owing  in  part  to  a 
high  wind  which  prevailed  at  the  time,  and  whit-h  hurle(l  the 
l)la/.ing  brands  far  and  wide,  and  also  to  the  fact  that  the  greater 
part  of  the  houses  wore  wooden.  Even  the  mercantile  estal)lish- 
nuMits,  built  substantially  of  stone  and  brick,  presented  no 
inipodimcnt  to  the  progress  of  the  fierce  contlagi'ation,  and  with 


\{  -^ 


'^  - 


92 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


JMU 


i-i 


a  siiiiflo  exception,  they  were  tottilly  destroyed.  Xearly  all  the 
})iil)lic  huilding.s,  except  Government  House,  perished.  TIk' 
Post-Ollice,  Savini^s-liiinlv,  ]>ank  of  British  North  Anicrica, 
Custoin-IIouse,  Poiice-Otliee,  Exchange  Builuinus,  Onhiaiue 
Store,  and  several  otliers  were  Imrnt  to  the  ground.  To  add  to 
the  terrors  of  the  scene,  wiiile  the  red  tongues  of  flame  were 
lea[)ing  from  street  to  street,  the  huge  oil-vats  on  the  sidi-  of 
the  harbor  took  fire.  Liquid  llames  spread  ovei*  the  wiioli' 
surface  of  the  water  and  set  iiro  to  a  numhcr  of  vessels.  T^'foro 
the  day  closed  twelve  tiiousand  people  Avero  homeless,  uiul 
property  valued  at  a  million  pounds  sterling  was  destroyed. 

8iili  there  Avas  no  abject  (Uni)air  among  the  people,  ^'('s^('l-, 
\\-ero  at  once  despatched  for  provisions.  When  news  of  ilic 
terrible  calamity  reached  England  a  sum  of  £5,000  was  sent  lor 
innnediate  relief,  and  Parliament  voted  £25,000  more.  To  this 
was  added  a  very  hirge  sum  collected  in  the  churches,  under  the 
sanction  of  a  letter  from  the  Queen  to  the  Archl)ishops  of 
Canterbury  and  York.  The  neighboring  colonies  sent  lil»er;il 
contributions.  Cheered  by  this  generous  syini)athy,  the  iiiJi.ihi- 
tants  at  once  set  to  work  to  rebuild  their  city.  A  law  was  enacted 
prohibiting  wooden  houses  in  thel)usiness  part  of  the  town,  aiid 
enforcing  increased  width  of  the  streets.  Some  \  ears  afterward^ 
n  abundant  sui)i'.ly  of  Avater  was  introduced,  so  that  now  St. 
.jv'im's  is  as  secure  again>t  tiro  as  any  other  city  of  the  New 
AVoi'i.  A  recurrence  of  such  a  terrible  contlagration  as  that 
of  Jii,»e  0,  184(!,  may  be  regarded  as  impossible. 

Yv't  anotiier  calamity  Avas  destined  to  mark  that  meniorahlc 
v'W.  On  the  IDth  September  Ji  storm  of  unexampled  .-"verily 
s'.  ept  over  tlu^  island,  causing  an  immense  destruction  of  >Im;> 
\  Mig,  houses,  fishing  stages  and  flakes,  fences  and  bridges,  ami 
ciiaulling  in  many  instances  the  fruits  of  the  fishermen's  toils 
'.u;;ing  the  i)revious  sunnner.  These  two  calamities  in  a  single 
yeas  Avere  a  disastrous  drawback  to  the  prosperity  of  the  colony 
for  a  long  time. 

In  1847  Sir  Gaspard  Ic  INIarchaut  Avas  appointed  goNcrnor. 
Previous  to  his  arrival  a  strong  agitation  had  s[)rung  up,  ha\  inu; 
for  its  object  the  attainnuMit  of  a  more  complcto  po'^/er  of  scli- 
govcinmcnt  than  the  Constitution  of  18Ji2  had  secured.     The 


''THROUGH  THE  FIRE:' 


03 


a[)i)()intnients  to  the  principal  offices  in  the  colony  were  still 
held  by  the  Crown.  The  demand  now  made  was  fo/  what  h 
known  a.s  "Responsible  Government,"  under  which  ail  such 
appointments  were  to  be  at  tlie  disposal  of  the  i^arty  which 
secured  a  majority  in  the  legislature.  This  boon  of  <j:()vcrnmcnt 
according  to  the  well-understood  wishes  of  the  peoi)le,  or,  in 
other  words,  executive  responsil)ility,  had  been  already  con- 
coded  to  all  tlie  North  American  colonies  ;  l)ut  the  imperial 
authorities,  notwithstanding  i)etitions  from  the  people  and 
the  amalgamated  legislature  in  favor  of  it,  withheld  it  from 
Newfoundland  for  a  numl)er  of  years,  fearing  that  the  colon""" 
was  not  prepared  for  ccmiplcte  self-government.  The  agitation, 
however,  in  favor  of  it  increased  in  intensity,  and  at  length,  in 
1S.")4,  it  was  conceded.  Charles  Ilenry  Darling,  Es(j.,  was 
sent  out  as  the  successor  of  Ker  B.  Hamilton,  Esq.,  to  inaugurate 
the  new  system. 

The  importance  of  possessing  those  institutions  and  that  civil 
administration  now  granted  became  esi)ecially  a})[)arcnt  Avhen, 
ill  I'S-")?,  the  British  Govenmient  entered  into  a  convention  with 
that  of  the  French,  for  the  purpose  of  settling  matters  long  in 
•  (lisnute  regarding  the  fisheries  of  Newfoundlatul.  AVhcx  the 
terms  of  this  convention  were  made  known  m  the  colony  they 
were  found  to  be  unfavorable  to  its  fishing  interests,  and  calcu- 
lated to  inflict  loss,  if  not  ruin,  on  the  main  industry  of  the 
I'ountry.  A  stoim  of  opi)osition  was  speedily  raised,  and  all 
l)arties  joined  in  denouncing  the  convention.  The  legislature 
appointed  delegates  to  proceed  to  London  and  reiiresent  the 
opposition  of  the  colony  to  the  proposed  arrangement.  Other 
deh\nates  were  sent  to  the  neighboring  [jrovinces  to  invoke!  their 
sympathy  and  help.  The  British  Government,  having  alri'ady 
bestowed  c()mi)lete  self-goverinnent  on  Ibc  colony,  yielded  at 
once,  and  the  obnoxious  claus(\s  were  withdrawn.  A  despatch 
was  sent  by  the  Secretary  of  Static  for  tlu^  Colonies  to  (iovcrnor 
Darling,  whii'hgave  universal  satisfaction,  and  which  is  rfgar<le(l 
as  tlie  palladium  of  the  colony's  liberties  in  regard  to  its  tcrri- 
tniial  and  maritime  rights.  It  contained  tlu!  t'oUowil^f  words  : 
''  fhe  proposals  contamed  in  the  convention  having  b(>en  now 
iiiu'(|uiv()eally  refused  by  the  colony,  they  will,  of  course,  fall 


^k 


:i 


I 


u 


;1| 


III 


(     (l 


'H 


it: 


m 

!■'!'' 

>■'. 

94 


NE  WFO  UXDLAND. 


to  the  ground ;  and  you  are  authorized  to  give  such  assuraiico 
as  you  may  think  proper,  that  the  consent  of  the  community  of 
Newfoundland  is  regarded  hy  Her  Majesty's  Government  as  the 
essential  [jreliminary  to  any  modification  of  their  territorial  or 
maritime  riglits."  This,  of  course,  put  an  end  to  all  doul)t 
regarding  the  power  of  the  colony  to  regulate  its  own  affairs  in 
all  time  to  come;  su])ject,  of  course,  to  the  rights  secured  to 
tlui  French  l^y  treaty,  in  connection  with  the  fisheries  on  the 
coast. 

The  three  years  following  were  fairly  prosperous  ;  the  fisheries 
"Were  productive  ;  the  poi)ulation  increased  ;  the  revenue  was  in 
such  a  condition  that  the  legislature  was  enabled  to  undertake 
works  of  public  utility.  The  light-houses  on  the  coast  were 
increased  in  numbers;  steam  connnunication  was  impiovcd, 
both  internal  and  foreign;  education  was  fostered;  and  a 
telegrai)h  line  was  extended  across  ihc  island.  Kesi)!)iisihlc 
govermniMit  worked  well,  and  introduced  many  needed  imi)rovc- 
ments.  The  erection  of  a  telegrai)h  line  connecting  the  island 
with  the  coiilinent  of  America  suggested  the  bolder  projed  of 
laying  down  a  submarine  cable  from  the  eastern  shores  of 
Newfoundland  to  the  Irish  coast,  a  distance  of  1,()4()  miles. 
On  the  r)th  of  August,  18."><S,  this  great  historic  enterin-isc  was 
a('C()m[)lished,  and  the  first  message  between  the  Old  and  Xcw 
AVoilds  was  flashed  across  Newfoundland.  In  1<S()0,  His  IJoyal 
Highness  the  Prince  of  Wales  visited  St.  John's  on  his  way  to 
Cantida,  and  nu^t  with  a  loyal  and  enthusiastic  welcome  from 
all  classes  of  the  pe()})le. 

In  the  same  year,  however,  uolitical  troubles  cloudcil  the 
hori/on.  The  old  rcdigious  dissensions  unhappily  once  more 
broke  out,  in  connection  with  tlus  elections,  bringing  in  ihcir 
train  sonu;  unhappy  results,  'fho  i)arty  who  had  been  most 
C'leig'etic  in  securing  res[)onsibU!  governnuMd  held  the  reins 
of  ;uth(  rify  for  some  years.  In  tluj  session  of  18(!1,  h()\ve\('i', 
ti  misuntlerstanding  arose  between  Sir  Alexander  IJannerm.ni, 
who  had  been  appc  inted  governor  in  1857,  and  Mr.  Kent, 
the  ColoWil  Pi'emier.  Into  the  merits  of  thismisunderstMrnlinn 
it  is  not  necessary  to  («nter,  but  the  result  was  the  dismissal  of 
the  ministry  by  the  governor,  and  an  invitation  to  Mr.  lloyles, 


''THROUGH  THE  FIRE." 


95 


leader  of  the  Opposition,  io  form  a  government.  Tliis  was 
followed  by  a  (li:?soliiti(Mi  of  tiio  House  of  Asse'.nhly,  and  a  ixcn- 
eral  eleetion  in  the  latter  i)jirt  of  April,  IJSGI.  The  old  i)olitieal 
passions,  in  whieh  religi(,as  animosities  unfortunately  play(Hl 
ii  prominent  i)art,  were  <)neo  more  aroused  into  aetion.  The 
election  presented  seenes  of  tumult  and  violenee  in  x'veral 
localities.  Protestants  and  Catholics  were  once  mon;  arrayed 
ajrainst  each  other  in  the  [xditieal  eonlliet.  At  Harbor  Main 
a  lite  was  lost,  and  at  Harbor  Grace  the  disorder  was  so  great 
that  an  eleetion  was  found  to  be  im})ossil)le.  The  result  was 
that  the;  new  goverm'U'ut  obtained  a  majority,  the  aetion  of  the 
•governor  in  dismissing  his  n/mistry  and  dissolving  the  House 
lieiiig  thus  sustained  by  the   voice  of  the  people. 

When  the  new  House  of  Assembly  was  o})ened,  in  j\Iay, 
18(!I,  the  i)olitieal  excitement  ran  high  in  the  capital.  The  gov- 
ernor received,  from  a  menacing  crowd,  an  ungracious  rece[)- 
tion  when  he  arrived  to  open  the  hsgislatiu'e.  I  ater  in  the  (hiy 
there  was  a  riot.  The  houses  of  two  obnoxious  individuals 
were  attacked  l)y  the  mob.  The  soldiers  of  (he  garrison  w(U"e 
called  out  to  (piell  disturbances  which  the  j)()lice  were  unabh*  to 
siipi)ress.  A  sad  and  d<'plorable  scene  followed.  The  mob 
assailed  the  troops  with  volleys  of  stones.  The  conunander  of 
the  force  ordorf^d  a  nunilxu*  of  his  men  to  lire.  'J'hre(!  jJcrsoMs 
were,  killed  and  several  wounded.  It  was  no  doubt  a  feaiiul 
ex|)e(lient  to  which  the  connnanding  oHicer  had  recourse,  but  on 
investigation,  the  authorities  exonerated  hi'u  from  all  blauu;. 
The  enii)loyment  of  the  military  in  aid  of  <he  civil  powcM", 
in  (|iielling  popular  disturbanc(>s,  is  always  hazardous,  and  can 
only  be  justified  in  extreme  cases. 

The  nu'mory  of  these  unhap])y  events  has  gradually  I'aded 
away.  To-day  a  nobler  and  mon^  patriotic  spirit  auimalcs 
political  action,  which  is  now  chiefly  directed  towards  the: 
ileM'lopment  of  (he  best  inter(>sts  of  the  coimnmiity  at  large. 
Tliere  is  every  reason  to  hope  and  believe  that  religious  animos- 
ity and  [xu'secution  are  dead  in  Ww  oldest  Jiritish  colony. 


,    »,, 


» 


•  ^ 


■k 


96 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


\m\\-'':.l!i.  t, 


CHAPTER  VI. 

"  AFTER  DAKKNESS  —  DAWN." 

[1801-1882.] 

Demoralizing  systems  of  pauper  relief — Proposed  confederatiDn  of  Newfi.ninl- 
liind  and  Canada — Important  diseovery  of  copper  ore  —  Geological  miiviv 
of  the  island  —  Mr.  Alexander  Murray's  reports  —  Inijjortant  revelatidiH  — 
Opposition  and  defeat  of  the  projected  union  with  CaTiada — Kstalili>liiii([U 
of  steam  eoniniunication  witli  England  —  I)eveloi)inent  of  mineral  and  agri- 
cultural resources  —  Proposed  railway  —  Sir  John  (ih)ver  on  the  possihilities 
of  the  ciiiintry  —  CJovernnient  charter  granted  to  the  Xewfoundland  IJailwuy 
Company  —  Turning  of  the  first  sod  and  construction  of  the  first  part  of  the 
first  railway  in  ISSl — Prosi)erous  condition  of  the  colony — Final  settle- 
ment of  the  French  fishery  ijuestion  —  New  railway  prcjects,  with  ptr- 
spoctive  jilans  of  incroaseil  rai)idity  of  transit  hetweon  the  Old  World  ami 
the  New — New  fields  for  emigration — A  country  one-sixth  larger  tli;iii 
Ireland,  witli  a  population  less  than  two  liundred  thousand. 

UxpiiODC.TiVE  iisherios  ttiul  a  wido-.'^proiKl  dost  it  ut  ion  niiirkod 
the  iir.st  eight  years  of  the  decade  endiiio:  in  1870.  A  system 
had  <rro\vn  up  since  18.").')  of  distribiitinir  relief  ainonij!;  ihoM'  of 
the  peoi)le  who  were  needy  iind  in  want,  durinu"  the  wiiiler 
season.  The  clleet  was  most  demoralizing.  Mtmy  [xusons  who 
coidd  htive  made  .some  provision  for  liie  dead  setison  took  no 
heed  wliatever  of  the  morrow.  Pauperism  inereased  ;  reelclcss 
iind  indolent  liai)its  were  engendenMl ;  and  ere  long  ncailv  a 
third  of  the  entire  revenue  went  in  ehiirit'''.  So  m.any  were  let't 
in  a  condition  of  semi-starvation,  whenever  a  failure  of  the  ti^li- 
eries  oeein'rtMl,  tliat  government  foimd  it  imi)ossihl(>  to  dis- 
eriminale  hetwiHMi  tiit^  ai)i)lieanls  for  relief.  So  general  was  the 
distriliiition  of  relii^f  that  ti  great  mtijority  of  tin;  industrial 
[lopulaliou  soon  learned  to  disregard  the  stigma  of  i)au|)eri-iti, 
They  claimed  pul)lie  assistance  as  a  ))rivate  right.  This  >.'\)\\- 
dilion  of  things  was  a  result  of  tlui  old  fatal  policy  of  reprcssiiiu' 
eoloniziition,  and  failing  to  tiU'ord  facilities  for  the  peoph;  to  ><M- 
lle  on    the    land   and    <ultivjite    it.     Tiu^    [)opidati()n    h;id    now 


''AFTER   DARKNESS  — DA  WX." 


97 


iii'Ciitly  raiiltiplied.  AVheii  the  tishorios  failed  tlioy  hud  no 
other  resource  on  which  to  fall  back.  The  credit  system  was 
also  a  factor  in  the  general  demoralization.  It  had  existed  for 
more  than  u  century,  and  had  l)ec()nn^  part  and  })arcel  of  the 
customs  of  the  country.  The  etfect  of  issuing  sui)plii's,  at  the 
l)eginning  of  each  tishing-season,  to  he  paid  for  in  kind  at  the 
close,  was  unfavorable  to  the  formation  of  habits  of  thrift  and 
industry.  The  returns  of  the  tishermen's  labors  were  also  seri- 
ously discounted  l)y  the  high  prices  they  had  to  pay  for  the 
supposed  privilege  of  credit. 

Governor  Bannerman,  when  o})ening  the  legislative  session 
of  18(50,  dwelt  forcibly  on  this  unfavorable  feature  of  the  social 
oondition  of  a  i)ortion  of  the  working-classes.  He  nigcMl  that 
"no  pains  should  be  s[)ared  to  give  encouragement  to  agricult- 
ure, and  to  every  other  source  that  can  give  emi)loyment  to  the 
laboring  classes,  to  [)revent,  as  far  as  possible,  their  resorting  to 
pauper  relief."  In  every  succeeding  year  the  warning  was 
rei)eated  in  his  speeches  regarding  the  dangers  of  increasing 
piui[)erism,  and  the;  necessity  of  providing  eni[)loynu'nt  for  the 
people  outside  the  fisheries,  which  could  no  longer  sustain  the 
numbers  wiio  were  now  engaged  in  them.  The  revenue  of 
IMII  fell  to  £.S1,00(),  and  the  public  debt,  which  had  been 
mainly  incurred  in  meciting  the  necessities  of  the  destitiUe,  now 
amounted  to  ,£180, (JOO.  In  1S(!;}  the  governor's  speech  again 
proclaimed  "wide-spread  pau[)erisin,"  in  constMjueuee  of  the 
failure  of  the  previous  year's  Hsheries.  A  connnittee  of  the 
li'iiislalure  vvas  a[)p()inted  to  in(piire  into  the  condition  of  the 
tlshcries.  Their  report  shoW(>d  that  there  had  l)een  no  actual 
dicline  in  tiie  cod-lisherie  (he  average  from  1<S40  to  1N(!2  hav- 
ing been  occtisionally  a  little  under  a  million  quintals  annually, 
and  at  times  somewhat  over  that  amount.  This  national  indus- 
try was  found  to  l)e  stationai'y,  but  the  po[)ulalion  had  int'reased, 
so  that  the  same  amountof  produce  had  now  to  sup|)ort  a  much 
luger  numl)er.  Another  connnittee  was  appointed  to  rc^port  on 
the  agricultural  capabilities  of  tlu;  country.  'J'liey  reported 
strongly  in  I'avor  of  the  encoui'ag(>nient  of  agriculture,  as  ti 
means  of  repressing  pau])erism.  The  soil  and  climate  were 
pi'onounced    to    be   well    ada[)ted    to    the    recpiire  nenls    of  the 


f    i 


I 


98 


NE  WFO UNDLAND. 


Iff; 


%  I 


fanner.  The  want  of  roads,  liowcver,  prevented  any  iinir-di- 
ate  efforts  to  settle  the  fine  vallevs  of  the  inierior.  Xo  one  :is 
yet  dreamed  of  a  railway  as  the  means  of  opening  up  the  eoun- 
try  and  settling  a  po})ulation  in  the  interior. 

In  1<S()4  Mr.  Anthony  Musgrave  was  appointed  governor. 
Kach  year,  in  opening  the  session  of  the  legislature,  he  ic^peatcd 
the  same  sad  talc  of  paui)erism,  and  suggested  the  old  remedies. 
During  this  trying  })eriod  large  numi)ers  of  the  peoi)le  emi- 
grated to  the  United  States  and  Canada.  In  18GG  the  tishcrics 
were  again  unsuecessful.  The  usual  distress  and  misciy 
followed.  The  governor  advised  the  union  of  Newfoundland 
with  Canada.  He  stated  that  it  was  greatly  desired  liy  tlie 
imperial  authorities.  The  years  1807  and  18G8  showed  no 
im})r()vement,  and  the  financial  condition  of  the  colony  grew 
worse  and  worse.  The  governor's  speech,  which,  of  courx', 
expressed  the  oi)inions  of  his  ministers,  announced  that ''year 
after  year  it  is  more  clearly  demonstrated  that,  in  the  altered 
circumstances  of  the  comnumity,  the  one  enterprise  and 
occui)ation  to  which  our  [)eople  arc  accustomed,  is  inadequale 
to  meet  the  wants  of  the  increasing  population."  A  gleam  of 
hope,  however,  began  to  dawn  for  the  peoi)le  at  this  time.  In 
the  north  of  the  island  coi)per  ore  had  already  been  discovered, 
and  mining  was  beginning  to  create  a  new  demand  for  labor. 
Ere  long  it  becanu^  evident  that  the  island,  so  long  pronounccil 
worthless  by  i)rejudieed  or  ignorant  persons,  was  rieli  in 
minerals.  This  new  industrial  departure  was  the  first  snb- 
stantial  aid  l)rought  to  the  sullering  i)eo[)lo.  The  prosj)eet  ol' 
Newfoundland  becoming  a  mining  centre  gave  them  fresh  hoiic 
and  courage.  Etlbrts  ^yere  renewed,  again  and  again,  by  the 
legislature  to  ol)tain  from  the  imperial  powers  a  removal  of  llie 
restrictions  which  })reventcd  land  grants  or  mining  licenses 
being  issued  on  that  part  of  the  coast  where  the  French  had 
lishing-rights.  This  end)raced  half  the  island,  and  the  Ix'tler 
half,  as  lar  as  climate,  soil,  and  minerals  are  concerned.  These 
applications,  however,  did  not  secure  the  desired  concessions. 
The  people  were  practically  excluded  from  their  own  shores. 
Th(!  efieet  of  this  injustice,  while  repressing  enleri)riso, 
deei)oned  the  sense  of  wrong  which  the  English  colonists  had 
borne  with  patience  though  not  without  protest. 


''AFTER  DARKNESS— DAWN-." 


99 


The  commcnccmeiit  of  a  geological  survey  of  the  island,  ill 
18(j-i,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Government,  must  be  reckoned 
as  one  of  the  most  important  measures  yet  introduced  for 
making  known  and  develoi)ing  the  natural  resources  of  the 
country.  Sir  "William  Logan,  the  eminent  geologist,  who  had 
long  been  at  the  head  of  the  geological  survey  of  Canada,  was 
re(juestcd  to  nominate  a  competent  person  to  take  charge  of  the 
.survey  of  Newfoundland.  He  selected  ]Mr.  Alexander  ^Murray, 
who  for  more  than  twenty  years  had  been  associate^  with  him  in 
the  survey  of  Canada,  and  whoso  experience  and  ability  iitted 
him  specially  for  this  important  work.  Entering  upon  his  duties 
in  l'S()4,  ho  has  prosecuted  the  work  till  the  i)resent  time  with 
conunendable  zeal  and  energy,  and  with  important  results. 
For  the  tirst  time  the  resources  and  capabilities  of  this  neg- 
lected country  were  ascertained  and  reported  on  by  compe- 
tent scientific  men.  As,  year  after  year,  Mr.  ^Murray's  reports 
were  i)ublished,  it  was  at  tirst  with. a  feeling  of  doubt  or 
incredulity  that  the  people  heard  of  the  natural  riches  of  the 
interior ;  of  extensive  pine  forests ;  fertile  valleys,  in  which 
many  thousands  n:ight  find  a  home ;  of  carl)oniferous  regions, 
containing  coal-l>eds  ;  and  innnense  mineral  tracts,  which  the 
l;il)(>is  of  many  generations  were  not  likely  to  exhaust.  His 
.survey  showed  that  on  the  west  coast  there  were  1,320  s(]uarc 
miles  of  fertile  lands,  admirably  adapted  for  settlement ;  and  in 
till'  valleys  of  the  lv\[)l()its,  (rambo,  Terra  Nova,  and  Gander, 
iiol  k'ss  than  .'5,320  s(|uare  miles,  e(|ually  fitted  for  agricultural 
(ilicrations  or  cattle-raising,  nmch  of  these  regions  lieiug 
covered  with  splendid  forests — in  all  nearly  thre(!  million 
iicrcs  of  fertile  land.  lie  further  found  that  the  island  i)resents 
large  developments  of  "(^luibec  group,"  which  is  the  gn-at 
metalliferous  formation  of  North  America,  and  therefore  might 
be  expected  to  be  found  rich  in  minends  —  a  i)rediction  which 
has  been  amply  verified.  It  is  nuu-h  to  the  credit  of  successive 
governments  that  the  geological  survey  has  been  continuc.'d 
since  1804,  and  is  still  going  on.  The  knowledge  of  the 
coinitry  obtained  through  this  agency  has  been  gradn  dly 
(liU'uscd  by  dillerent  writers,  and  made  known  in  other  lands. 
Il  can  l)e  no  longer  doubted  that  Newfi)undland  now  presents  a 


I 


'*. 


m 


, 

i 

1!^ 

' 

' 

'  i , 

' 

.'l 

\i 

1    J: 

\ 

'  k 

5^  J: 

■ 

"     !  ^ 

'    ■'■    i 

(f 

i 

i 


100 


XEWFOUXDLAND. 


proinifsinu:  field  for  mining  enterprises;  and  that  it  contains 
(Miouirh  of  fertile  land  to  sustain  in  comfort  a  population  of 
several  millions. 

The  year  18(iU  hrouiiht  a  turn  in  the  tide  of  affairs,  in  tli»,' 
shape  of  abundant  fisheries,  the  first  for  many  years  wliich 
could  ])c  called  successful.  ^Nlany  of  the  i)eoi)le  had  hccn 
(levoting  themselves  more  to  the  cultivation  of  the  soil,  and  the 
harvest  this  year  was  irood.  In  1808  the  irovernment  had  iit 
length  grappled  with  the  system  of  al)le-l)odic<l  [)auper  relief, 
and  cut  it  off;  and  the  comi)arative  i)rosperity  of  the  next  few- 
years  rendered  it  possible  to  enforce  this  wholesome  cnac.'tmeiit. 
A  general  election  took  place  towai'ds  the  closer  of  18(50,  wliieli 
turned  on  the  question  of  union  with  Canada.  The  result  was 
a  return  of  a  large  majority  of  representatives  ])ledged  to  oppose 
confederation  with  the  Dominion,  to  which  it  was  found  a  large 
pr()i)orti<)n  of  the  pcoi)l(^  were  opposed.  So  emi)hati('ally  did 
pul)lic  fiieling  show  itself  in  ()i)i)osition  to  confederation  that 
the  (juestion  has  since  !-een  entirely  laid  aside.  Sir  Stephen 
John  Hill  succeeded  Si.'  Alexander  I^aunerman  in  18(19. 

'^riie  following  j'ears  witiKvssed  successful  fisheries,  aceoin- 
panied  by  a  rise  in  the  price  of  the  products  in  foreign  markets. 
Harvests,  too,  were  fairly  good,  and  the  revenue  derived  from 
duties  on  importations  rose  as  the  peojjle  were  able  to  purchase 
more  freely  the  necessaries  and  comforts  of  life. 

In  1871  the  r(!venue  reached  the  unprecedented  amount  ol" 
£207,7i)0,  which  enabled  the  government  to  remit  some  duties 
which  bore  heavilv  on  the  workina'-classes,  and  also  to  devote 
certain  sums  to  public  works.  Great  numbcM's  of  minin;i 
licenses  were  taken  out,  and  the  new  industry  advanced 
rapidly.  The  expcMiditure  of  money,  in  the  sha[)(;  of  wages  in 
connecfion  with  mining,  added  considerably  to  tlu^  means  ot" 
the  laboring  class.  The  improved  condition  of  the  reveniu! 
permitted  incn^ased  grants  for  the  construction  of  roads,  light- 
houses, and  other  works  of  public  utilit}'. 

In  187^  direct  steam  connnunicafion  with  England  ami 
America  was  established,  a  contract  with  the  Montreal  Steam- 
shi[)  Company  having  been  entered  into  for  the  conveyance  of 
mails,  passengers,  and  ijoods.     The  arranjzement  was  for  I'ort- 


*  'AFTER  DARKNESS  —  DA  WX." 


101 


nightly  calls,  hotli  of  hoinewarcl  aiu^  outward  hoiuul  sliii).s  of 
the  Allan  Line,  at  St.  John's,  dui-inir  nine  months  of  the  year, 
and  monthly  trips,  via  Halifax,  during  the  remainder.  The 
trade  and  connneree  of  the  colony  were  greatly  benefited  by 
this  improved  means  of  connnunication  with  the  outside 
world. 

A  [jctition  was  presented  to  the  imi)erial  authorities  by  the 
k'Uisluturc,  asking  for  the  introduction  of  a  judicial  system  on 
the  so-called  "French  shore";  the  ap[)ointment  of  magistrates, 
tlic  establishment  of  custom-houses,  and  the  removal  of 
restrictions  on  the  territorial  rights  of  the  colony.  In  this 
petition  it  was  stated  that  there  had  grown  up,  on  this  })art  of 
the  coast,  a  large  population  who  were  outside  the  pale  of  law, 
X)  that  life  and  })roi)erty  were  insecure,  and  the  means  of 
civilization  entirely  absent.  ^Meantime  local  steam  connnuni- 
cation between  St.  John's  and  the  princi[)al  settlements  was 
improved  and  extended  to  Labrador  Channel,  St.  George's 
Bay,  Bay  of  Island  .,  and  Bonno  Bay.  The  revenue  did  not 
s^liow  any  furth(\-  expansion,  and  in  1874:  was  £20'J,.3.'>1. 

The  knowledge  of  the  great  natural  resources  of  the  country 
which  had  now  been  dilfused,  together  with  the  necessity 
of  providing  new  means  of  employment  for  the  increasing 
l)oj)ulation,  had  secured  the  attention  of  thoughtful  men,  who 
saw  that,  for  any  further  progress,  the  construction  of  a 
railway,  to  open  up  the  country  to  industrial  enterprise,  had 
now  Itecome  a  necessity.  For  some  time  the  idea  had  been 
fermenting  in  the  public  mind,  but  in  a  country  where  the 
l)e()[)le  were  but  little  accustomed  to  entertain  great  national 
projects,  the  majority,  especially  of  those  whose  capital  was 
invested  in  the  fisheries,  shrank  from  the  proposal  as  visionary 
ami  beyond  the  means  of  the  colony.  Still  the  (juestion  pressed 
lor  a  solution :  "  What  are  we  to  do  with  our  increasing 
poimlation  who  cannot  find  sustenance  from  the  emi)loyment 
I'luiiished  by  the  precarious  fisheries?"  At  length,  in  187'), 
the  government  resolved  on  a  movement  designed  to  secure 
the  introduction  of  a  trunk-line  of  railway.  Their  ideas  were 
enihodied  in  the  folloAving  passage  from  the  governor's  speech 
ill  oiicniiig  tlu!  session  of  the  legislature:  "The  period  appears 


{ft  :,; 


'f 


102 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


iiiiiH 


to  have  arrived  when  a  question  which  has  for  some  time 
engaged  piil)lic  discussion,  viz.,  the  construction  of  a  railway 
across  the  island  to  St.  George's  Bay,  shoukl  receive  a  practical 
solution.  Independently  of  the  benefits  to  flow  from  openini; 
up  the  great  resources  of  the  interior  of  Xewfoundland  to  the 
industry  of  its  people,  there  is  the  well-founded  expectation 
that  this  line  of  railway  would  attract  to  our  shores  the  mail  and 
passenger  traffic  of  the  Atlantic,  for  which  this  island  would 
atlbrd  the  safest  and  most  expeditious  route  between  the 
Eastern  and  Western  hemispheres ;  and  thus  would  bo  secured 
those  vast  commercial  advantages  which  our  geographical 
position  manifestly  entitles  us  to  connnand.  As  a  preliminary 
to  this  ol)ject  a  proposition  will  be  submitted  to  you  for  a 
thorough  surve}^  to  ascertain  the  most  eligible  lino,  and  with  a 
view  to  the  further  incpiiry  whether  the  colony  does  not  possess 
within  itself  the  means  of  inducing  capitalists  to  undertake  this 
great  enterprise  of  progress." 

The  result  of  this  proi)()sal  was  that  the  legislature  voted 
the  sum  of  money  required  for  a  preliminary  survey  of  the  line 
of  railway,  which  was  completed  in  the  summer  of  1875,  under 
the  direction  of  Mr.  Sandford  Fleming,  C.E.,  an  eminiMit 
engineer  who  was  at  the  head  of  the  railways  of  Canada.  Mr. 
Fleming  had,  some  years  })reviously,  published  a  pamphlet  in 
favor  of  a  railway  from  St.  John's  to  St.  George's  Bay,  with  a 
view  of  esta])lishing  over  this  lino  the  shortest  route  l)etweeu 
America  and  Europe.  The  survey  showed  that  a  favoral)lc 
line  could  readily  bo  obtained,  presenting  no  serious  engineer- 
ing difficulties. 

On  reviewing  the  operations  of  the  previous  year  at  tiio 
opening  of  the  legislative  session  of  1870,  the  governor 
announced  that  the  fisheries  had  been  but  })artially  successful, 
but  that  enhanced  prices  had  rendered  them  moderately 
remunerative.  "The  cultivation  of  the  soil,"  he  said,  "had  met 
with  an  extraordinary  degree  of  success."  .  .  .  "  JNIining  jiur- 
suits,"  he  declared,  "  have  acquired  an  importance  rapidly  on  the 
increase."  A  largo  number  of  mining  licenses  and  grants  had 
been  issued  within  the  year,  and  Tilt  Covo  and  Bett's  Cove 
mines    were    worked    with    great    success.     The    governnunt 


''AFTER   DARKNESS—  DA  WX." 


103 


hroiiirlit  in  a  meii.surc  to  revive  tlie  eod  Hsluny  on  the  (Ireat 
IJiuiUs,  hy  bounties  to  he  continued  for  tive  years.  This  ellbrt 
proved  higlily  successful. 

The  fishery  commission  in  connection  with  the  Treaty  of 
"Wasliington  met  in  Halifax  in  the  summer  of  ISK),  the  Hon. 
\\.  V.  Whiteway  heing  the  dek'gate  from  Newfoundland.  The 
commission  awarded  tive  and  a-half  millions  ot  dollars  a^  com- 
pcDs.'i'lon  for  fisheries  rights  extended  to  the  United  States 
hy  the  Treaty  of  Washington.  Of  this  sum  XcwfoumllaLd 
received  one  million  dollars. 

In  187()  .Sir  flohn  Hawley  Glover  was  appointed  governor, 
iiiid  when  oi)ening  the  legi.dature  in  \>^11  he  said  that  "mining 
(Mttcrprise  was  advancing  M'ilh  rapid  strides,  and  that  the 
])r<)duction  of  coi)per  ore  would  soon  take  rank  as  a  staple 
resource  of  the  colony."  The  revenue  was  found  to  he  over 
the  estimate,  but  the  cod-fishery  had  been  below  that  of  any 
recent  year. 

During  the  session  of  1878  the  Hon.  AV.  V.  AVhiteway, 
})rcinier,  who  had  taken  the  lead  in  introducing  the  first 
measure  in  connection  with  the  railway  survey,  moved  a 
scries  of  resolutions  offering  a  subsidy  of  $120,000  and  a  lib- 
eral grant  of  Crown  lands  to  any  comi)any  that  would  con- 
struct and  Avork  a  lino  of  railway  between  St.  .John's  and  St. 
(icorge's  Bay.  The  proposal  was  cordially  agreed  to  l)y  the 
legislature.  Arrangements  w'cre  made  for  advertising  this 
oiler,  but  the  British  (xovernmcnt  refused  to  sanction  the  line, 
on  the  ground  that  its  terminus  would  bo  on  the  so-called 
"  French  shore."  The  concession  of  ai)pointing  magistrates 
and  establishing  legal  institutions  and  custom-houses  on  the 
western  coast  had  been  made  in  1877  ;  but  the  impel  "al  author- 
iti(N  considered  that  as  n(>gotiati()ns  with  the  French  regarding 
this  coast  were  then  in  })rogress,  their  sanction  of  a  railway 
must  be  left  in  abeyance  for  the  present. 

After  waiting  two  3'ears  it  was  found  that  the  difliculties 
referred  to  had  not  been  removed,  and  that  the  necessity  for 
opening  the  country  by  a  railway  was  every  day  becoming 
more  urgent.  Sir  John  Glover  made  a  journey  across  the 
island  from  Hall's  Bay  to  Bay  of  Islands   in  the  autumn  of 


I 
I 


■!• 


A 


• 


1  ■ 

Nil' 


'I 


tij' ' 


rr, 


'  •■  i' 
'  ii  * 


.'1 


'    { 


I  i 


t 


104 


NE  WFO  UyOLAXD. 


iliPI 


1^*7'S,  and  iilso  visiti.'d  the  mining  region.  In  his  s|)('t'(Ii  on 
opening  the  legishituro  the  following  yeiir  he  said:  "My  visit 
foivihly  impressed  me  with  the  rieh  agricnltund  resonrees  of 
tliis  jxn'tion  of  the  island  and  the  value  of  the  forest  lands  — 
])rovisi()ns  of  natnre  destined  soon  to  attract  and  reward  iar«fe 
nnmhers  of  industrions  settlers.  The  long  level  tract  of  country, 
from  South- West  Arm,  in  Notre  Dame  Bay,  to  Ilumher  Sound, 
atlbrds  such  facilities  for  the  construction  of  a  main  highway 
that  this  great  work  might  be  accomplished  at  a  very  moderate 
outlay." 

At  lengrh,  in  the  session  of  1880,  the  Hon.  W.  V.  White- 
way,  premier,  moved  that,  as  the  ditficulties  in  the  way  of  a 
line  to  St.  George's  Bay  had  not  been  removed,  the  colony 
should  now,  out  of  its  own  revenues,  proceed  to  construct  a 
railway  of  about  three  hundred  and  forty  miles  in  length,  from 
St.  John's  to  Hall's  Bay,  the  centre  of  the  mining  region,  with 
branches  to  Harbor  Grace  and  Brigus.  Such  a  line  would 
open  some  of  the  most  fertile  lands  in  the  valleys  of  the 
GamI)o,  the  Gander,  and  the  Exploits,  and  would  reach  the 
mining  region,  and  allbrd  vast  facilities  for  carrying  on  mining 
enter[)rises ;  it  would  also  unite  populous  districts  with  the 
capital.  The  premier  pointed  out  that  there  was  a  continued 
recurrence  of  pauperism  in  certain  districts,  when  the  tluctu- 
atinij  tisheries  failed,  and  that  it  was  necessary  to  draw  the 
peo{)le  more  to  the  cultivation  of  the  soil ;  and  that  the  present 
time  was  propitious,  as  there  was  now  virtually  no  public  debt, 
and  the  financial  position  of  the  colony  was  highly  favoral)le. 
The  question  was  referred  to  a  joint  committee,  composed  of 
members  of  both  branches  of  the  legislature,  whose  report  was 
highly  favorable  to  the  construction  of  the  railway  referred  to. 
It  dwelt  on  the  increasing  numbers  of  the  population,  and  the 
constant  recurrence  of  destitution  with  every  failure  of  the  tish- 
eries, which  were  precarious  and  sho\Yed  no  tendency  to  ex- 
pansion. The  great  mineral  wealth  of  the  country,  as  now 
ascertained  beyond  a  doubt,  and  "the  vast  stretches  of  agricult- 
ural land"  which  the  railway  would  open  were  referred  to.  as 
well  as  the  excellent  local  markets  for  agricultural  produce, 
while  the  facilities  for  raising  and  exporting  cattle  were  also 


'  'A  FT  Eli   DARKNESS  —  DA  WX. " 


105 


insisted  iijioii.  To  dovclop  theso  rich  resources,  tlio  com- 
mittee considered  a  railway  indispensable,  and  recoinniendcd 
tiiat  a  million  pounds  sterling;  should  be  borrowed  on  the  credit 
of  the  colony,  in  annual  sums  of  half  a  million  dollars,  and  the 
work  at  once  commenced.  The  legislature  adopted  the  report, 
and  authorized  the  re(juired  loan.  An  enirineer-in-chief  was 
selected,  and  the  survey  of  the  line  from  St.  John's  to  Harbor 
(irace  was  comi)l(;ted  in  the  autumn  of  18.S0. 

The  legislative  session  of  1881  })roved  to  be  a  very  important 
one.  The  sunnner  fishery  of  the  })revious  year  had  not  been 
successful,  and  the  usual  amount  of  sull'ering  and  privation  had 
followed  in  certain  districts.  The  revenue  had  fallen  somewhat 
lu'low  the  estiniiited  amount.  The  competition  of  the  i)ro(hict.s 
of  the  Xorwegiaii  tisheries  in  several  foreign  markets  had  told 
unfavorably  in  regard  to  the  exports  of  Xewfoundland.  In 
opening  the  legislature  the  governor  announc  I  that  the  govern- 
ment had  received  oilers  for  constructing  thi;  line  of  railway  for 
which  [)rovision  had  been  made  during  lust  session,  and  that  this 
proposal  would  be  submitted  to  the  House  of  Assembly  and  the 
Council  at  an  early  date.  When  the  matter  was  introduced  l)y 
the  i)reniier  he  moved  for  a  joint  connnittee  of  the  Legishitivc 
Council  and  the  House  of  Assembly  to  consider  these  proposals, 
which  resulted  in  the  ratification  of  a  ijrovisional  contract.  A 
charter  was  granted  incorporating  the  shareholders  under  the 
title  of  "The  Newfoundland  Railway  Com[)any."  The  leading 
features  of  the  contract  were  that  the  conqKiny  bound  themselves 
to  construct  "a  substantial,  reliable,  and  efficient  road,  subject 
to  approval  by  a  government  ins[)ector,"  in  accordance  with 
certain  specifications  which  were  named  in  the  agreement,  and 
to  complete  it  within  the  period  of  five  years  ;  also  to  e<piip, 
maintain,  and  operate  the  railway  when  constructed.  The 
govermuent  agreed  to  pay  the  company  an  annual  subsidy  of 
$180,000,  the  proi)()rtions  of  this  subsidy  to  attach  while  the 
road  is  in  course  of  construction  on  the  re[)ort  of  the  government 
engineer  as  each  five  miles  are  completed.  Further,  the 
Government  bound  themselves  to  give  the  company  hmd  grants 
along  the  line  of  railway  to  the  extent  of  five  thousand  acres  of 
land  for  each  mile  of  railway  built.     These  land  grants  arc  to 


I 


■I  I 


Is 


(ir 


I, 


\i     'I 
i  ; 


•■      I'; 


^'     I] 


■I    , 
I 


' 

■.  .1 

100 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


Ix'  ill  Mltcriiiitc  l)locks  of  good  land  along  t^io  lino,  as  liu-  as 
i>  acticahlc,  in  quantities  of  one  niilo  aIo»ig  the  linu  1)\'  cii^hi 
miles  in  dei)th,  provision  being  made  *\<i-  ol)t"ining  elsewli'-re, 
as  the  coni[)any  may  select,  other  lands  in  (.'onr.jotion  nitli 
reserves  for  the  Government,  to  make  good  the  stipii'atcd 
amount  when  this  cannot  he  o!)tained  along  the  line  of  roid. 
/»ii  ui'ticles  for  use  in  the  construction  and  maintenance  of  tli" 
lino  were  to  he  admitted  duty  f 'ce.  Tlu^  railway  and  its  c;q)ital, 
stock,  and  lands  were  to  he  exom])ted  from  exceptional  taxation. 
The  paynuMit  o^"  the  subsidy  was  to  continue  for  a  [)eri(>d  of 
tliirty-riv(>  y('ars. 

The  iMh  of  August,  1H81,  was  an  important  da\-  for  X^'w- 
foundland.  It  saw  the  first  sod  of  the  railwa}'  turned,.  The 
colony  now  entered  ui)on  a  ncsw  era  of  industrial  enterj/rix'. 
The  utilization  of  the  great  natural  resources  of  this  Hue  island 
was  connnenced  in  earnv;.;t.  The  fertih^  lands  of  the  interior 
have  now  the  prospect  of  l)eing  settled  and  culti\'ated.  'I'lic 
loi'ests,  hitlKvrto  allowed  to  rot  or  to  be  destroyed  by  lire,  v  ill 
)>(^  added  to  the  resource's  of  civilization.  Vast  mineral  l.nwU 
will  be  explored  and  made  to  yield  their  treasures.  Th-  rail- 
way work  that  promises  to  enrich  Newfoundland  can  hardly  I'lil 
t.)  j)r()\('  remunerative  to  those  wdio  hav(>  embarked  their  ca[)ital 
in  tlie  undertaking. 

So  energ(Mically  did  the  Xewf.  mdland  ix.-'ilway  Coinpaiiv 
jirosecaUe  their  labors,  that  :it  the  clos(>  of  1<S.S1  about  twenty 
n:i!cs  of  the  line  were  graded,  and  the  mils  wore  laid  aioiig  tho 
first  ten  miles.  A  substantial  wlnirf  was  built  in  thi;  irubor  (if 
St.  .lolm's,  and  the  track  was  carried  along  waterside  i)rcinisos 
o('cu|)ie(l  by  ihe  company,  at  which  four  or  five  hu'ge  steanuTS 
could  load  at  the  sanici  tinus  when  i)iers  are  erected.  This 
large  wharfage  w'ill  be  of  great  value  in  the  future.  Over  two 
hundi'cd  thousand  dol'ars  were  distributed  by  the  company  in 
the  shape  of  wages  during  <iu'  working  season,  and  materials  tn 
Ib.e  \alu(>  of  half  a  million  (hilars  wi'r(>  i)urchase(l  and  |i;iitly 
transported  to  tln'  island.  liarge  contracts  for  (aitting  sleepers 
Mere  taken,  and  thus  remunerati\e  labor  was  provided  diu'in;,' 
the  winter.      Tho  wages  rocoivcd  by  the  working  populalinn 


''AFTER  DARKNESS—  dawn: 


107 


jidilcd  frreatly  to  their  connbrts,  while  the  trad i ni;  cliisics  shared 
the  bciu'tits. 

When  the  legislriure  met  on  the  Kith  of  Feltrr.iiry,  1882,  Sir 
F.  1).  Carter,  who  acted  as  adminisstrator  of'tlu>  o-ovornment  in 
llic  ahsei  ee  of  Sir  Henry  ^Nlaxse,  the  governor,  announced  in 
llic  opening  speech  that  the  k'ading  in(histries  of  the  country 
had  (huMug  the  previous  year  been  i)rosecuted  successfully  on 
ill!'  whole,  and  that  "mining  showed  a  considcrai)ly  enlarged 
I'xport  of  coi)pcr  ore,  and  prospects  of  a  further  develoi/'.'ient  in 
tlic  innnediate  future."  lie  referred  to  the  railway  as  prouress- 
iug  satisfactorily  in  construction,  conferring  im[)()rtant  benefits 
on  lln'  iK'oplo,  and  causing  a  "  hirge  numetary  expenditure  in 
the  country/'  This  "great  work,"  he  said,  "is  an  cnteri)rise 
which,  in  the  increase  of  conunercial  and  social  conununication, 
iiiid  the  devehjpment  of  om*  agricuhural  and  mineral  resources, 
contains  the  elements  of  solid  and  lasting  prosperity  for  New- 
foundland." 

The  revenue  was  found  to  l)o  in  a  very  flourishing  condition, 
Minoiniting  to  $l,00;>,8()li,  ])eing  the  largest  ever  received. 
This  I'urnisiied  the  best  proof  of  the  generally  })rosperous  con- 
dition of  the  colony.  The  sj)eech,  however,  contained  aiirUher 
announcement,  second  in  importani'c  only  to  that  regarding  the 
niihvay.  The  administrator  informed  the  legislature  that  the 
imperial  authorities  had  at  length  authorized  the  local  govern- 
mciil  to  make  land  grants,  and  issue  mining  licenses  on  that 
part  of  the  coast  on  which  the  FrtMich  have  (ishery  pi-ivilegcp. 
This  was  the  boon  for  which  the  colony  had  been  pleading  in 
vain  for  many  years.  Its  importance  to  tlui  people  of  Xew- 
loumlland  can  hardly  bo  overrated.  It  is  a  virtual  sctthMuent 
ol'  the  vex(!d  "  French  Shore  Question,"  and  a  removal  of  a  serious 
Mild  lonir-standinii  sxrievance.  It  opens  the  half  of  the  island 
\vh'' h  had  hitherto  been  closed  to  the  peoi)le,  to  settlement  and 
industrial  enterprise.  It  enfranchises  the  poi>ulati(/n  of  this 
pai'l  of  the  island,  who  an;  ie  futun;  to  have  two  repi'escMitatives 
in  the;  local  legislature,  and  removes  all  restrictions  on  the 
exercise  of  territorial  rights.  The  administi'ator  very  justly 
connected  this  concession  with  the  name  of  Sir  William  White- 
way,  to  whoso  able  and  persevcriiig  representations  the  country 


I  -I 


111    U 


1  It  \.r- 

^^^ 

i 

SI 

1  ■.  ■  "1 

1 

1    '     ■;■■ 

iff 

'  m 

m 

'■*      « 


108 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


is  liirgoly  indeljtcd  for  a  settlement  of  this  vexed  quest ioii. 
"The  coincidence,"  said  the  administrator,  "of  the  improved 
conditions  to  which  I  have  adverted  with  tlie  inauguration  of  the 
Newfoundland  railway,  marks  an  era  of  progress  wiiich  is  a 
meet  sul)ject  of  congratulation  to  the  country." 

Two  other  important  events  marked  the  legislative  session  of 
1.SX2.  The  first  was  an  application  to  the  legislature  for  a 
charter  of  incorporation  of  a  company  under  the  title  of  "  The 
American  and  European  Short  Line  Railway  Company."  The 
objects  of  the  company  are  described  in  the  following  tonus: 
"You  are  already  aware,  from  communications  jilaced  Ijoforc 
your  Government,  that  it  is  the  purpose  of  our  company  to 
construct  a  line  of  railway  from  a  point  or  points  on  the  cast  or 
south-eastern  coasts  of  Newfoundland  through  and  across  the 
said  island,  to  a  point  or  points  on  the  west  coast  of  Newibuiid- 
land,  and  from  the  western  terminus  to  connect  by  steain-feny 
with  the  railway  to  be  constructed  to  a  point  at  or  near  Capo 
North,  in  the  island  of  Cape  Breton;  thence  by  said  railway  to 
the  Strait  of  Canso ;  thence  along  the  north  shore  of  Xova 
Scotia  to  a  junction  with  the  Intercolonial  Railway,  by  which 
line  Ave  make  connections  with  the  railways  communicating  with 
Boston,  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Montreal,  Chicago,  St.  Louis, 
and  San  Francisco.  It  l)eing  our  purpose  to  construct  without 
delay  the  necessary  links  to  complete  this  proposed  trunk-line, 
Avhen  this  lino  is  completed,  passengers  may  take  cars  at  New 
York  or  ^loutreal,  and  run  through  to  tho  east  coast  of  New- 
foundland. From  the  east  shore  of  Newfoundland  the  company 
will  estal)lish  a  fast  despatch  line  of  steamships,  to  sail  between 
that  point  and  the  west  coast  of  England  or  Ireland,  there  con- 
necting with  fast  exi)ress  trains  to  London  and  all  European 
cities,  thus  forming  a  great  international  trunk-line  acros  the 
island  of  Newfoundland  that  will  absorb  and  facilitate  the  tians- 
portation  of  the  mails  of  the  governments  of  America,  Europe, 
and  Asia,  as  well  as  provide  the  shortest,  speediest,  and  safest 
I'outo  An*  i)assenger  traffic.  The  line,  when  completed,  will 
bring  Newfoundland  into  dally  connmnilcation  with  the  giviit 
centres  of  trade  and  civilization  of  Europe  and  America.  The 
average  time  saved  by  this  route  between  London  and  New 


''AFTER  DARKNESS  — DAWN." 


109 


York  will  be  not  less  than  two  days  to  the  traveller  over  any 
other  existing  line  or  possible  route  l)etween  the  two  great 
connneroial  centres.  The  f.hort  ocean  voyage,  the  great  saving 
in  time,  together  with  the  superior  comforts  and  safety  of  this 
lino,  will  soon  make  it  the  most  popular  route  for  tirst-class 
trans- Atlantic  travel ;  and  will  also  attract  a  very  large  part  of 
tho  emigration  that  now  goes  direct  to  New  York  and  other 
Unit(Ml  States  ana  Canadian  ports.  Thus  will  the  great  tides 
of  (MuiL^ration,  flowing  to  the  United  States  and  Canada  ,  be 
liiru't'ly  diverted  across  your  territory  ;  and  m.'iny  emigrants  will 
tind  homes  in  the  rich  fertile  valleys  of  your  island.  The  pro- 
l)osed  line  will  pass  through  parts  of  your  territory  very  rich 
;m  mineral  and  agricultural  lands,  capable  of  supporting  a  large 
population ;  and  when  this  line  is  open  to  travel,  the  Great 
Valley  of  the  Exploits,  St.  George's  Bay,  the  Gjinder  River, 
and  the  Codroy  will  soon  be  busy  with  the  hum  of  agricultural, 
mining,  and  mechanical  industry,  where  all  is  now  a  silent,  t(Mi- 
iuitlcss,  and  comparatively  unknown  wilderness.  The  railroad 
we  propose  will  be,  in  every  respect,  a  flrst-class  road,  and  the 
iM|uipnient  of  the  highest  standard  of  excellence." 

The  great  cnter[)rise  which  is  defined  in  the  foregoing  extract 
i-j  not  oidy  of  colonial,  but  of  imperial  and  international  impor- 
tance. In  Newfoundland  it  has  met  with  an  enthusiastic  approv- 
iii.  The  charter  sought  for  has  been  granted ;  and,  no  doubt, 
in  due  time  the  colony  will  render  substantial  aid  to  a  project 
whieli  would  benefit  the  island  more  than  any  other  country. 
Tile  legislature  of  Nova  Scotia  has  also  warmly  a[)[)roved  of  the 
cnterp-rise,  and  promised  assistance.  That  this  will  be  the  groat 
tiiivel-route  of  the  future  between  the  Old  ^Vorld  and  the  New 
cini  seareely  admit  of  a  doubt,  for  it  has  been  marked  out  by 
tile  hand  of  Nature. 

The  second  proposal  that  came  l)eforo  the  legislature  was  for 
a  cliarter  to  incorjiorate  a  c()in[)any  1(5  construct  a  dry  or 
jri'.'ivinii  dock  in  St.  John's  harbor.  The  dock  is  to  be  of  such 
<linieii>ioii,<  that  it  canacconnnodatc  the  largest  oceanic^  steamers, 
hi'ing  .six  hundred  feet  i  i  length,  one  hundred  feet  in  breadth, 
mill  Iwenty-six  feet  in  depth.  The  government  have  agreed  to 
give  a  subsidy  of  $IK),G00  per  annum  for  forty-five  y(>ars,  thus 


I  , 


■i  I 


^ 


[•   » 


JIL<J 


110 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


securing  interest  at  five  per  cent,  on  $600,000.  The  total  cost 
is  estimated  at  a  million  of  dollars.  This  dock  will  be  of  vast 
importance  to  disabled  steamers  and  vessels  requiring  ri'piiir.s, 
great  numl)ers  of  which  seek  this  port  from  all  parts  of  the 
Atlantic.  It  will  also  serve  for  the  repairing  of  the  tlect  of 
twenty-five  steamers,  and  the  large  numl)er  of  sailing  vessels, 
wliicli  are  connected  Avith  St.  John's  itself. 

It  seems  ch  .ir  from  ail  these  facts  that  Newfoundland  h:is  nt 
length  fairly  moved  into  the  path  of  progress,  and  has  a  briuht 
and  i)rosperous  future  opening  before  her.  Her  great  natunil 
resources  will  now  be  turned  to  account,  and  her  inlial)it!iuls 
will  advance  in  the  arts  and  api)liances  of  civilized  life.  Tlic 
l)()pulalion,  according  to  the  last  census,  taken  in  1874,  was 
101, ()()();  it  is  now  j)r()bal)Iy  185,000.  This  small  population 
is  spi'iiiki(!d  round  the  shores  of  an  island  one  sixth  larger  than 
Ireland,  and  having  an  area  of  42,000  square  miles.  That  it 
will  become  an  attractive  field  for  emigrants  cannot  be  douhtcd, 
when  once  the  interior  valleys  are  rendered  fairly  accessible  l)y 
road  and  rail. 


PART    II. 

PxIYSIOAL    GEOGRAPHY    AXD 
TOPOGRAPKY. 


Ifiu-  ! 


CHAPTER  I. 

SITUATION,    MOUNTAINS,    AND   RIVERS. 

A  st('i)i)innf-stonc  between  the  Old  World  and  llio  New  —  Rank  of  Newfc  undland 
aniDn.u:  the  islands  of  the  fjlobe  —  Brecdinjf-i^roiind  of  the  cod  —  An  iron- 
bduiid  shore  with  afiTtiie  interior  —  Picturesque  water-ways  —  Lonir  Uan^'e 
and  other  mountains  —  The  Exploits  River  —  The  Grand  Falls —The 
Iluniher  and  Bay  of  Islands  —  Lakes  and  ponds  —  Grand  Lake  witli  an  arv.a, 
of  a  hundred  and  ninety-two  square  miles  —  Great  pine  forests  —  Red 
Indian  Lake  —  Virgin  lands  or  "  forests  primeval." 

I.\  rcgiird  to  goograpliical  position  Nature  has  dealt  in  the 
liijxhest  dejxrco  favoral)ly  with  Ncwfoiuidhiiid.  It  is  difliciilt  to 
iiniiiiiuo  a  moi'o  comniandiug  position  than  that  of  this  great 
island,  anchored  off  the  American  continent  and  reaching  out  at 
its  tui'thest  point  towards  the  Eastern  hemisphere,  thus  forming, 
as  it  were,  a  .stei)ping-stone  ])etween  the  Old  World  and  the 
Now.  It  has  been  marked  down  as  the  travtd-route  of  the 
future  between  the  two  hemisi)heres.  Stretching  right  across 
tlio  Gidf  of  St.  Lawrence,  to  which  it  alfords  access  at  its 
northern  and  southern  extremities,  it  might  bo  compared  to  a 
hiiij;c  I)astion  thrown  out  into  the  Nortli  Atlantic,  the  capital  of 
which,  if  duly  fortified^  might  bo  converted  into  the  Sevastopol 
of  the  surroimding  seas.  It  is  no  less  adapted  to  serve  the 
pi'iiccfiil  interests  of  eommi;rce,  to  facilitatii  connnunication 
hctwcen  two  contintMits,  or  b(;come  a  place  of  arms  and  detenco. 
At  its  south-western  extremity  it  approaches  within  fifty  miles 
ol  the  iisland  of  Cape  IJreton,  while  its  most  eastern  projcctioa 

(111) 


1'^ 


1   i  11 


SI        '• 


^  !  it,j4jfc' 


112 


KE  }YFO  UNDLAND. 


w 

i  ■ 

1  II 

;"* 

i  i 

1 :  ■• 

is  l)ut  1,(!10  miles  distiiut  from  Ireland.  "When  these  l\v(> 
■vvntery  Intervals  arc  I)ri(]ged  by  steam-terries,  the  shortest  and 
safest  liMii-il  Ix'tween  Europe  and  America  will  he  seciuvd. 
Had  it  not  been  for  the  facilities  atforded  hy  the  splendid 
geo;i'raj)hical  situation  of  the  island  for  experiments  in  leiiiilli- 
ened  submarine  t(dei>:rai)hy,  it  is  doubtful  whether  tele<,nMpliic 
communit-ation  between  the  two  worlds  woidd  have  been 
established  to  this  day.  The  short  distance  between  Xtnvfouud- 
land  and  Ireland  and  the  great  levid  submarine  plaiu,  a 
thousand  miles  in  width,  between  the  two  countries,  suggested 
the  trial,  and  literally  paved  the  way  to  success. 

In  anotluH"  respect  Xaturc  seems  to  have  marked  out  the 
island  as  a  centre  of  eonnnercial  activity.  A  glance  at  the  map 
shows  that  its  coasts  are  pierced  by  numerous  magnificent  bays, 
running,  in  some  instanc(!s,  eighty  or  ninety  miles  inland,  and 
throwing  out  numerous  smaller  arms  in  all  directi(ms.  Thus 
the  ocean  ])enetrates  the  land  deeply,  bi-inging  with  it  that  sea- 
harvest  which  is  reaped  without  the  i)reliminary  labors  of 
l)lou<;hinij!'  and  sowins:.  The  same  watery  hiirhways,  reacliini; 
inland  in  all  directions,  allbrd  unrivalled  facilities  for  the 
transport  of  the  jjroducts  of  the  fisheries,  the  riches  of  the  niiiio 
and  the  forest,  and  the  agricultural  productions  which  will  yet 
be  deri\'i>d  from  its  hitherto  untenanted  i)lains.  In  those  noltlo 
bays,  inoreover,  arc  some  of  the  tincst  harbors  in  the  world, 
with  countless  coves  and  creeks,  where  the  fishermen's  craft 
lind  safe  and  easy  shelter.  To  such  an  extent  are  tlu;  shores 
indented  tlitit,  though  the  island  is  al)out  a  thousand  miles 
round,  measuring  from  luadland  to  headland,  were  its  hnys 
circunuiavigati'd,  the  ()[)eration  would  more  than  double  that 
extent  of  mileage.  In  fact,  it  would  l)e  difficult  to  lind  'uiy- 
where  an  e(|ual  land-area  presenting  such  an  extent  of  frontage 
to  the  sea. 

According  to  the  latest  and  most  accurate  surveys,  New- 
foundland is  situated  between  the  i)arallels  of  X^'P  'M\'  .')()"  mikI 
51°  .'Jl>'  north  latitude,  and  between  tlu^  meridians  of  WV  -'57' 
and  aO^  2-t'  50"  west  longitude.  Its  greatest  length.  iVoin 
Ca[)e  Kay  (the  south-western  exti-emity  of  the  island)  to  Capo 
Norman    (the  fartliest   northern  land)   is  317  miles;    and   the 


SITUATION,    MOUXTAIXS,   AXD  RIVERS. 


113 


♦Toatcst  brcjidth,  from  Ca})c  Spear  (the  most  easterly  jjoint)  to 

(':4)e  Aniiuille   (the  most  westerly)    is  ,")1()  miles.     Tiie   total 

:inM  is  estimated  by  Mr.  ^Murray,  of  the  (ieoloiiieal  Survey,  at 

42,000  square  miles.     The  size  of  a  oountr}  counts  for  a  uooil 

(leal,  and  in  the  loni^  run  heeomesa  measure  of  i)olitical  power. 

AVe  obtain  the  l)i'st  idea  of  the  size  of  the  island  l>v  eompar..ii>' 

it  with  other  countries.     Ireland  contains  ?\2J)\)0  scjuare  miles; 

>()  tliat  Newfoundland  is  more  than  oni'-sixth  larger  than  that 

country.     It    also    contains    12,000    sipiare    miles    more    than 

Scotland.     It  is  three  times  as  large  as  Holland,  and  twice  as 

Inigc  as  Denmark.     Taking  for  comparison  two  of  the  ncigh- 

horiiig  |)rovinccs  of  ]>ritish  America,  we  lind  that  it  istwice  the 

size  of  Xova  Scotia,  and  one-third  larger  than  Xe.v  Drunswick. 

AiiiDiig  the  islands  of  the;  globe  it  ranks  tenth  in  regard  to  size. 

Its  figure    approaches  an    equilateral    triangle,  having   a  wide 

southern  ])ase  between  Cape  Kace  and  Cape  liay,  and  a  narnav 

iipcx  towards  the  north.     Two  large  peninsulas  i)roiect   iVonx 

tln'  main   body  of  the  island.     One  of  these  [joints  northerly 

;iii(l  is  loni>;  and  narrow;  it  is  called  Petit  Xord  by  the  French. 

Tlic  other  is  the  great  peninsula  of  Avalon,  [jointing  south-east, 

and  almost  severed  from  the  [jrincijjal  [)ortion  of  the  island  by 

the  two  ba.ys  of  Placentia  and  Trinity,  on  o[)[)()site  sidc.>  of  the 

inland,  the  connection  i)eing  a  narrow  isthmus,  in  one;  [dace  but 

llnvc  miles  in  width.     The  Avalon  [)cninsula  is  I'urther  (li\  idcd 

tiy  the  two  noble  bays  of  St.  Mary's  and  C()nce[)tion.      On   its 

eii^tcrn    side  is   situated  St.   John's,  the  capital  ;    and    on   the 

iiort'icrn  shore  of  Conce[)tion  r)ay.   Harbor  (jnice,  the   second 

town  of  the  island.     Owing  to  its  exten>ive  frontage  on   the 

Atlantic,  its  many  fine  harbors,  and  its  [)roximity  to  tin-  be.-l 

'i-Iiing-grounds,  Avalon  is  the  most  thickly-[)o[)ulated  and  by 

far  the  most  connnercially  im[)ortant  [)art  of  the  island. 

^\'ithin  !i  degree  of  its  shores  is  tlu^ureatest  spbmarine  island 
of  the  globe — the  Crand  i'ank  of  Xewfoundland,  which 
cxlcnds  for  a  length  of  six  hundred  miles,  with  a  bri^adth  of 
two  hundred  miles.  The  great  bi-ccding-ground  of  the  cod, 
these  submarine  hills  and  \allcys  arc  alivt;  with  inexhaustible 
>lor(>s  of  this  noble  lish.  Around  tlu'  shores  of  Avalon  are 
count  less  smaller  submarine  elevations,  where  colonies  of  cod 


t\  \ 


! 

'   V 

{ 

.■  »•■ 

v~'\  m 


114 


XE  WFOUXDLAND. 


aro  located,  and  whcro  H.sliiiiji^  has  been  carried  on  for  centm-ics 
without  any  diminution  of  the  supply.  Hence,  thouirh  the  j^oil 
of  Avalon  is  as  a  Avhole  poor,  and  in  many  i)laces  liarren,  the 
gr(>at  i)r<)poi-li()n  of  the  population  is  clustered  round  its  shores, 
but  they  look  mainly  to  the  (><'ean  as  the  source  of  their  subsist- 
ence. The  various  harbors  of  this  peninsula  present  also  the 
most  favora))lc  points  from  which  to  carry  on  the  seal-lishery  in 
the  s}.>rin<i:. 

The  tirst  sight  of  tho  coasts  of  Ne\tbinidland  impresses  tlie 
voyaiTor  unfavorably.  J>avk  frowninijf  dill's  ;  miles  on  miles  of 
rocky  walls,  from  two  to  three  hundred  feet  in  height,  with  l)ut 


If  lite 


heart's  content  UARUOR  and  Vll.LAUE. 


iS* 


little  verdure  crowning  the'r  summits  ;  bold  promontcn-ics  and 
headlands,  sculptured  into  grim  and  fantastic  forms  by  the 
blows  of  Atlantic  billows  ;  sha])es  massive  and  awe-inspu'ing  in 
their  stern  grandeur.  Such  is  the  general  picture  th;. ,  meets 
the  eye  of  the  voN'ager  at  almost  all  piirts  of  the  island.  '!'iie 
iron-bound  shores  present  no  pebl)ly  bc^ichch  on  which  tli<" 
waves  break  in  softened  nnisie.  The  island  is  d(>fcndc(l  ly 
rocky  ramjjarts,  dark  and  lofty,  repelling  the  wat(MT  battalions 
that  rush  u])on  them  uiubr  pressure  of  the  tempest.  Such  is 
the  seaward  asp(>ct.  Slu)ul(i  the  traveller,  leaving  the  oast, 
sail  up  one  of  the  fiords  whu'h  m  intervals  cleave  the  iMckv 
walls,  he  will  ere  K)ng,  if  the  season  be  sunnner,  tind  hinisclt 
amid  scenes  of  rare  beauty.     The  shores  aro  dotted  with  ilark- 


»■••.. f 


SITUATION,    MOUNTAINS,   AND  RIVERS. 


115 


irrocn  forests  that  sweep  down  to  the  water's  iH\^j[i\  Vordtuit 
islands  of  all  shapes  and  sizes  stud  the  hosoni  of  the  estuary. 
l)usy  boats  dance  iiero  and  there  on  the  l)rii»-ht  waters.  Fishin<r- 
haiuK'ts  hne  the  shores,  with  their  roujrii  stages  and  lish-llakes 
lor  landing  and  drying  the  cod.  I'lie  chiarings  around  the 
villages  show  how  little  has  3'et  l)een  done  in  reclaiming  the 
.soil  from  the  primeval  wilderness.  The  atmosphere  is  halmy 
and  exhilarating.  The  sky  is  blue  and  serene  as  that  of  Italy. 
There  are,  in  those  deep  hays  which  pierce  the  land  for  eighty 
or  a  hundred  miles,  varied  scenes  of  beauty,  such  as  are  randy 
surpassed  in  the  world's  most  favored  lands. 

On  passing  from  the  rugged  coast-line  to  the  outer  interior 
of  tlie  island  a  hilly  country  presents  itself,  with  (Mniueuces  of 
110  great  elevation.  Around  the  heads  of  the  bays  ar(»  ..u'ge 
tracts  of  excellent  land,  g(>nerally  covered  with  fine;  timl)er.  and 
[(resenting  every  fuility  for  agriculture  and  grazing  purposes. 
On  |)roceeding  further  inland  the  interior  proper  is  readied,  and, 
like  that  of  Ireland,  is  found  to  consist  of  an  elevated  undulating 
l)lateau,  traversed  here  and  there  by  ranges  of  low  hills,  the 
surface  being  diversilied  by  valleys,  woods,  lakes,  ponds,  and 
inarslu-'s.  Of  the  interior  itself  hardly  anything  is  yet  known, 
as  it  has  been  examined  oidy  at  a  lew  points,  and  has  been 
crossed,  in  1822,  from  east  to  west  only  by  a  single  tiaveller, 
who  described  nmch  of  it  as  a  savanna  country,  having  countless 
lakes  and  lakelets,  with  brooks,  woods,  and  vast  green  undulat- 
ing i)lains.  These  sj'vannas  are  comi)osed  of  line,  black, 
(oiupact  peat-mould,  formed  by  the  growth  and  decay  of 
mosses,  and  sustain  countless  herds  of  reindeer.  All  the  great 
liin-ranges  traversing  the  country  take  a  north-eastei'ly  and 
soutii- westerly  direction,  and  all  tlu;  other  great  pliysical 
features,  such  as  the  bays,  lakes,  rivers,  and  valleys,  have  a 
.similar  trend.  No  doubt  u'lacial  action  has  been  the  ca(i>e  of 
this  i)e(^uliar  conformation.  The  higlu'st  land  is  found  along 
the  western  and  southern  shores.  The  course  of  the  piincii)al 
rivers  shows  that  there  is  a  gradual  slope  thence,  easterly  and 
northerly.  It  is  along  the  valleys  traversed  by  the  various 
I'vers  tl-.at  the  greatest  extent  of  fertile  lands,  and  the  heavy 
furost-growlhs  are  found,  and  these  valleys  are  destined  to  bo 


J   )M    M 


») 


11(5 


NEWFOUNDLAXD. 


■r 


the  scnls  of  ji   liu'ir*'  agricultural    ijopulatiou,   when   rcudeicd 
accossihlc   hy  road  and  rail. 

Tlio  principal    mountain    ranirc  is    called    the    Long  KaiiLic, 

which  extends  :ilong  the  western  side  ot'  the  island  for  neailv 

its  entire  length,  having  peaks  more  tlian  two  thousand  feet  in 

height.      It    connnences  at  Capo  IJay,  runs    north-east   till    it 

I'eaches  the   head   of  St.  George's   liay,   then  turns  n()rth-ea>t 

again,  and  tei'niinates,  after  a  course  of  two  hundred  inile<,  in 

th<'  Petit   Xord,  or  great   northern  peninsula.     Outside  of  the 

Long  K'ange,  hut  i)arallel  to  it,  and  nearer  the  coast,  is  the  ( 'ape 

Anguille  Range,  rumiing  froni  Ca})e  Anguille  to  the  highlands 

of  St.  (ieorge'.s  Ha}',  with  summits  nineteen  hundred  feet  high, 

and  th(>   lilo-mi-dons,  extending  along  the  south  coast   of  tln' 

Ilumher    Arm,  liay  of   Islands,    and    occasionally  reaching  a 

height  of  two  thousand  and  eighty-live  feet.     These  two  ranges 

are  of  (juitc;  a  dillerent  geological   age  from  the  Long  Range, 

and  [)resent  set)arate  and  independent  features.     Another  range 

stretches  across  the  country  hetweeu  Fortune  liay  and  Notre 

Dame   r)ay,   and   is    known  as   Middle   IJanw,      ]51ack    River 

Itange  I'uns  from   RIacentia   liay  to  Clode  Sound,  in  ljona\i>ta 

r>ay.     The    Avalon    district    is    very    hilly,    tin  re    l)eing   two 

remarkable  ranges,  each  about  thirty  miles  long.     One  of  the>e 

connnences  at    Renews,   tifty  miles  south   of   St.   flohn's.  and 

terminates  at  llolyrood.  in  Conception  liay,  having  at  cacii  end 

a  rounded  hill   called  tlu;  Ihitterpot.      The  other  begins  at   St. 

Mai'v's  l>ay  and  terminates  at  Chapcd  Arm,  Trinity  Ray.     Some 

of  the  sunnnits  in  this  I'ange  reach  the  height  of  one  thou-aml 

live  hun(lre<l  feet.     Li  addition  to  these  well-marked  ridges,  the 

co'antry  is  remarkable?  for  a  lunnber  of  isolated  and  >hai'pl\- 

peaked  sunnnits,  bearing  the  local   name  of  Tolts,  which  >p;iiig 

abrui)tly  here  and  there  out  of  the  great  central  i»;:>teau,  and  -eive 

as  landmarks.     Some?  of  the  mon;  conspiiaious  ofthesn  Tolts  arc 

Sjjread  I'^aglePeak,  south  of  C,'ha[)el  Arm,  Trinity  liay  ;  Rowdcr 

Horn  Hill,  l)ay  of  liulls  Arm,  in  'i'rinity  R.ay  ;  llodge.-<  Hill,  mi 

the  Exploits  (two  Ihou-and  feet  high)  ;  Mount  Peyton  (sixteen 

hundred   and   seventy  feet),    west  end   of  (landiu'  Lake:  nml 

Lobster  House,  near  Hind's  Rond. 

Compared  with  the  size  of  the  island,  Xewfoundland  has  few 


H 


siTVATinx,  MorxTAiXFi,  AXD  niviins. 


u: 


larirc  rivers  ;  hut  tlu>  "Wiiut  of  these  is  amply  eoiuix'iisalecl  Inr  hy 
the  miiucrous  l):iys  which  penetrate  the  interior  in  all  dii-edions. 
One  v'ause  of  the  seareity  of  hir^ro  streams  is  tlio  liroken  hilly 
{■liMraeler  of  many  })()rtions  of  the  country.  Down  the  small 
valleys  lh)\v  the  streams  from  the  i)on(l,  or  set  of  ponds,  in  their 
nciijfhhorhood,  forming  numerous  brooks,  which  thus  liiid  the 
ucan'-t  course  to  the  sea.  It  is  a  mistake,  however,  not  un- 
common, to  suppose  that  the  island  is  destitute  of  large  rivers. 


UOtKV    lUVEi;   liUIDl.K. 


luicky  River  takes  its  rise  in  Ilodge  M'ati'r,  a  huge  lake  in 
the  ))eninsida  of  Axaion.  Aftt'r  a  course  of  about  twenty  miles, 
ill  which  it  receives  a  numlter  of  triltutai'ics.  it  ihlls  into  the 
Coliiict  arm  of  St.  Mary's  r»ay.  The  road  between  Salmonier 
iiiid  I'lai'cntia  crosses  Ivocky  Kivei'  near  its  month,  nine  miles 
ti'DUi  the  former  i)lai'e,  by  a  bridge  in  the  midst  of  scenery,  tm- 
surpassed  for  l)icture^-(jueness  in  tht;  whol<>  of  Xewl'oundland. 
On  i\'ai-hing  tlu^  sunnnit  ol"  a  lull  on  this  road,  (i\ crlooking  the 
valley  through  which  Ivocky  liner  llows,  the  traveller  oblams 


* '  *:  f 


I     I  ! 


118 


NEWFOUXDLAXD. 


I    lit. 


ji  l)t'!iutiful  view  of  the  Salmoiiier  and  ("oliiiet  arms  of  St.  Clary's 
liay.  'V\w  road  then  winds  down  thnniiih  thick  woods,  with 
their  ovcrhanLrinsr  ])ranehes,  \r,\>{  ,><ilvery  hd<eK'ts  and  over 
''barrens,"  till  Jloeky  liiver  is  reached.  Standinuon  the  l)ri(l<.ro 
which  spans  the  .stream  with  a  wide  arch,  some  c^O  or  lOD  feet 
iihove  the  water,  and  looking"  up  the  river  a  series  of  foaming 
cascades  is  f^i^inx,  at  a  short  distance,  tlashini;  nn(U'r  the  suii- 
Ix'ams.  Then  the  river  winds  amoni^"  lu'avy  woods,  tiil  at 
h'nuth  it  rusli(>s  beneath  the  bridge,  and  forms  anotlu'r  splendid 
c'asca<h?  below,  and  tinally  leaps  into  a  huge  ronnd  l)asin,  the 
surface!  of  which,  continuallv  distnrbed  bv  ecUlvinu"  currents,  is 
always  white  with  foam.  I^ofty  dill's  enclose  this  whirlpool, 
out  of  which  the  river  is  seen  (juietly  pursuing  its  way  to  the 
sea. 

Tlu!  Exploits  River  is  two  hundred  miles  in  length,  and 
drains  an  area  of  between  three  thousand  and  four  thou>an(l 
sijuare  miles.  It  is  a  mile  wide  at  its  mouth,  and  gradually 
narrows  to  an  average  of  half  a  mile,  which  it  nuuntaiiis  for  ten 
miles.  The  tirst  ten  miles  is  studded  with  islands,  one  of  them, 
Thwart  Island,  l)eing  nine  miles  in  length.  Fourteen  miles 
from  \\\(\  mouth  arc  IJishop's  Falls,  a  succession  of  cascades,  the 
total  height  being  about  twenty  feet.  The  scenery  here  is 
greatly  admired.  Some  twenty  miles  higher  up  the  river  the 
Grand  Falls  are  met  with,  presenting  one  of  the  finest  ;md 
most  })ictures(pu;  scenes  in  Xewfoundland.  Cai)tain  Kennedy, 
of  II. M.S.  "Druid,"  describes  a  visit  he  made  to  the  (Jrand 
Falls  in  the  following  terms:  "  AVe  found  ourselves  at  length 
directly  above  the  Fall,  and  a  glorious  sight  met  our  view.  I 
must  conl'ess  that  we  were  i)repare(l  for  a  disappointment  after 
many  of  like  nature  in  this  and  other  countries,  but  the  scene 
now  bef(U-(!  us  fully  answered,  if  it  did  not  exceed,  oiu*  expi'cta- 
tions.  Looking  ui)wards,  to  the  right  hand  was  a  mass  of 
foaming  eddying  torrent,  with  l)lack  rocks  interspersed. 
Abreast  of  us,  the  stream  was  divided  by  a  thickly-wooded 
islet,  whereon  many  sea-gulls  had  built  their  nests.  The 
parent  birds  ilew  round  with  loud  and  discordant  screams, 
adding,  in  the  roar  of  the  waterfall,  to  t!ie  weirdness  of  the 
scene.      Below    this    islet   the  waters  met,  and  wedged  in  l»y 


SITUATION,    MOrXTAiXS,   AXD  RIVERS. 


Ill) 


prcc-ipitoiis  rocks  on  either  side,  plmiired  in  a  suec-ossion  of 
(•:i-r;i(l('s  into  tlie  soetliini^  caldron  beneath.  Seatini;  ourselves 
JK'-ide  th<;  Fall  we  contemplated  this  tine  siixht,  not  a  living 
soul  to  intci'fcM'e  with  us.  Possibly  with  the  completion  of  the 
railway  w(!  shall  have  a  station  at  Exploits  River  and  a  hotel  at 
the  (Jrand  Falls  ;  but  for  the  present  let  us  rest  content  that  we 
have  seen,  without  (picstion,  the  tinest  picture  in  Xewfound- 
laiid,  untouched  by  the  hand  of  man.  A  very  tine  view  must 
he  ()l)tained  from  al)ovc  the  Falls  and  also  from  l)elow  ;  but  the 
liiniled  time  at  our  disposal  prevented  our  doing  more  than 
renting  f  )r  a  short  half-hour  on  the  spray-covered  rocks,  and 
taking  a  sketch  of  the  scene  before^  starting  on  our  wearisome 
walk  back.  The  whole  height  of  tlu'  Fails  is  given  at  one 
hundred  and  forty-five  feet ;  of  this  a  Li-ood  deal  is  broken 
water.  I  shotdd  estimate  tin?  largest  Fall  at  not  mon;  than  lifty 
feet,  and  perhai)s  as  many  yards  across  the  gorge;  but  the 
bcautv  of  the  Fall  is  not  so  nuich  in  its  heiu^ht  as  in  th(>  immense 
IkkIv  of  water  comi)ressed  into  tlu;  space,  and  in  the  genc/al 
wildness  of  the  place."  The  railway  now  under  construction 
from  St.  John's  to  Hall's  Bay  will  traverse  part  of  the  noble 
valley  of  Exploits,  and  there  can  bo  no  doubt  that  its  splendid 
scenery  will  [n'ovc  attractive  to  tourists  and  sportsmen,  as  it  is 
one  of  the  finest  salmon  streams  in  the  island.  At  one  point 
the  railway  will  come  close  to  the  Grand  Falls.  The  banks  of 
the  river  are  clothed  with  lofty  pine,  vogether  with  birch,  i)o))Iar, 
aspen,  etc.,  at  intervals.  The  soil  is  fertile,  and  cajjable  of 
yielding  croi)s  of  all  kinds,  including  oats,  barley,  and  wh(!at. 

"  The  Exi)l()its  River,"  says  Mr.  Murray,  of  the  Geological 
Survey,  "  rises  in  the  extreme  south-western  angle  of  the  island, 
and  within  twelve  mil(!s  of  the  southern  coast,  near  La  Poile, 
Mild,  flowing  in  a  north-easterly  direCi "on,  terminates  in  the  Jiay 
ol"  Exploits,  Notre  Dame  P>ay,  the  distance  from  the  sources  to 
the  (uitlet  measurinur  nearlv  two  hundred  miles  in  an  air  line. 
The  u[)[)er  waters  How  in  two  minor  branches,  tin;  lOxploits 
proper  and  the  ^''ictoria  l)ranch,  of  about  e(jual  size,  l>oth  of 
which  emi)ty  into  Rc(»  Indian  Lake,  which  itself  is  thirty-six 
miles  long,  with  an  average  width  of  about  two  miles,  and  very 
cl''e[),  whence  flows  the  main  stream  for  seventy-two  miles  to 


»' 


f    !     >       1 


^  i<    ' 


jf    \ 


'\ 


'(t. 


I   ' 


^; 


> 


120 


XEWFOLWDLAXn. 


it 


■  '^'^v: 

the  .-■.(<;i.  Till!  iioriii'il  sui'liuH)  oi'  lu'd  Iiidiaii  Laki;  is  four 
luuuli'cd  Mild  sixtv-ciiilit  I'cct  ahovo  the  tsoa,  and  its  total  aica  is 
sixt_\-iiiiie  s(iuai'e  miles.  Tliei'e  are  iiimiei'ous  trihiitaries  totlii.> 
jTi'.'i  ri\('r,  some  of  wliieli  miulit  with  justice  ))(>  teniKvi  risers 
themselves;  and  the  whole  ars  ;i  (h'ained  by  the  Iv\})loits  \'allev 
is  iiothiiiii'  under  three  thousand  sijuare  miles."' 

Tli(»  next  laru'est  ri\ cr  is  the  Ilnmher,  falling'  into  the  llunilier 
arm  ot'tlie  Wax  of  I>iands,  on  the  western  coast,  after  drainliiii- 
i\n  art-a  of  two  thousand  s<|uare  miles.  The  main  hraneh  of  the 
Iluiiiher  rises  ahout  twenty  miles  inland  from  lionne  Uay,  ainl 
pfler   a   eireuitou.s   course    tails    into    Deer    Lake.     The    other 


.'*%■ 


vim^^^s 


'■  '■' :-^<^^ '-^•^'.'■^y ^'^■'^^  Y? 


^m.WAM    i'ol.NT,    EXI'LOITS    lUVEll. 


hraneh  rises  north  of  Sandy  Lak(>,  and  flows  through  it  into 
(Irand  Lake;  thence  l>y  Junction  Pr'-ok  it  joins  the  main 
brani  .1,  six  miles  alio\i!  Deer  Lake.  From  tiiis  lake,  \\iiieh  is 
sixteen  mi'"s  long,  the  Iluniher  Hows  majeslicall}'  into  the  Hay 
of  Inlands.  The  scenery  of  (he  llnml»er  is  among  the  gramb'-t 
in  the  i>land.  At,  certain  |)oints  in  its  coiir>e  jieipemhe'ilnr 
ro<ks,  seNcral  himdred  I'^'ci  high,  spring  from  the  deepot  wnlei'. 
forming  canons.  At  the  mouth  ('('the  llnmher,  marlde  heds.  of 
ulmo>t  e\('iy  hue,  are  toiiiid,  and  in  the  Ijlo-mi-don  Hill-  a 
copper  mine  has   l)een   recently   opened. 

Till'  (lander  is  the  third  ol'the  large  ri\-ers  of  the  island,  a  id 
drains  an  area  of  two  thousand  ti\e  hundred  scpiare  milc^,  lull- 
ing into  (Jander  Uay.  'ts  principal  Itranch  ri>e>  near  I'.'iy 
D'Espoir,  on  tlu"  sonihern    coast,   and   running    north-easteily 


SITUATIOX,    MOUXTAIXS,   J.XD   IlfVFRS. 


121 


fulls  into  the  Groat  Gander  Lake.  TIk^  otlior,  aficr  a  \rvy 
iiicaiulering  course,  falls  into  the  same  lake,  wIumu-c  the  iiiiilcd 
stivani  runs  easterly  for  thirty-one  miles  into  (ran(h'r  li.iy. 
Giui'ler  Lake  has  an  area  of  forty-four  s(|uare  niih^s,  uiid  is  lliir'y- 
ihree  and  one-half  miles  long. 

These  are  the;  three  m;i.in  arteries;  hut  there  ar(>  luuncrous 
>iu;iiler  streams,  most  of  them  rising  at  right  angles  io  ihe 
oi)iu-e  of  the  larger  streams,  which  have  comparatively  short 
courses,  and  rush  in  turbulent  torrents  lo  the  sea.  Tlie  (i.uiiho 
is  a  small  stream  llowing  from  Ganiho  l*ond,  and  ha\ing  some 
splendid  pine  tiiuher  growing  on  its  hi.i  '.xs.  Terra  \o\a  IJiver 
is  a  eonsiderahle  stream,  noted  for  its  rapids,  f;illing  into 
Boiiavista  Bay.  Colinet  Ltiver  f;dls  into  St.  Mary's  IJay.  The 
Codroy  liiver  rises  in  the  Long  Range  iNloimtains,  and  Hows 
threiigh  a  valK'y  containing  the  linest  land  in  the  island. 

Ouv-  of  the  most  remarkable!  of  the  physical  features  of  the 
i>laiiil  is  its  innnense  number  of  lakes  and  ponds.  They  are  so 
imiiiL'.rous  that,  were  the  island  ma[)pe(l  out  in  detail,  more  than 
oiie-lhird  of  the  whole  suriact;  wouM  probably  be  rejjie^ented 
l)y  water.  They  are  found  in  every  jjossibh;  position:  in  tla; 
mountain  gorges  ;  in  the  depressions  between  the  low  hills  ;  ju 
the  valleys;  and  freiiuently  in  hollows  near  the  t()i)s  oj'  tin- 
hJLihest  i'minences.-  They  are  of  all  sizes,  from  tiny  jjooIs  and 
lakelets  to  sheets  of  water  n(>arly  sixty  miles  in  length.  I''rom 
the  lops  (»f  somi!  of  the  highest  hills  from  sixty  to  one  hundred 
and  lil'lv  i)onds  and  lakes  have  be(Mi  countecl.  Thev  I'orm  a  \erv 
l)eainil'ul  feature  in  th(\  landscape,  in  many  disti'icts,  as  the  (>yc 
niiiLies  from  tlu;  hill-lop  over  an  expanse  of  country  having  these 
hrij^lil  gems,  overhung  with  thick  woods,  dotting  its  surface. 
Xeaily  all  of  them  are  wi'll  stoi'ketl  with  trout.  There  can  b(> 
little  doubt  that  these  lakes  and  lakelets  are  relics  of  the  ( ila(  ial 
Aire,  and  have  been  se()o()e(l  out  by  glaciiu's  when  the  island 
Was  uiuk'r  ail  ice-mantle,  two  or  three  thousand  feet  thick,  as 
(ii'eenland  now  is,  and  down  its  mountain  gorges,  hug(»  glaciers 
Were  throwing  oil'  myriads  of  icebergs  into  Ihe  encompassing 
seas. 

The  largest  lake  in  the  islnnd  is  (irand  Lak(>,  lifly-six  miles 
ill  leugtl.s  with  an  area  of  one  luuidred  and  ninety-two  square 


1  H 


;:  I 


fH"^-.[f 


'In 


■    r- 


J 


iiiiii; 


122 


^^E  WFO  UNDLAND. 


miles.  Its  surface  is  but  fifty  feet  Jibovo  the  sea  level,  ^vhilc. 
iit  it-  deepest  ijoi'tiou,  the  bottom  is  more  than  three  Imiuhcd 
feet  Ix'low  th<!  level  of  the  sea.  Many  brooks  emjity  into  it. 
but  it  has  only  one;  outlet — Junction  Brook,  which  joins  the 
Ilumlxu'.  The  south-western  extremity  bears  about  north-east 
from  the  head  of  St.  Georg'c's  Bay,  from  which  it  is  distant 
al)()nt  liflcen  miles.  Seven  mih's  from  this  end  it  dividers  into 
two  arms,  each  about  a  mile  wide,  enclosing  an  island  twenty- 
two  miles  long  and  four  or  five  broad,  to  which  the  name  Sir 
.John  (lh)ver\s  Island  has  been  given  of  late,  in  compliment  to 
the  late  governor,  Avho,  in  187S,  visited  and  explored  the  lake. 
From  tlu!  island  the  lake  runs  in  a  north-eastern  direction,  ami 
Avidcns  to  a  breadth  of  five  or  six  miles.  The  shores  are  densely 
wooded  to  the  water's  edge,  in  some  i)iaces  precipitous,  in  others 
pr(>sentiiig  a  gentle  rise.  The  scimery  in  summer,  when  tlio 
trees  are  clad  in  "  living  green,"  or  still  more  in  autunm,  wlicii 
the  leaves  are  russet,  orange,  and  gold,  is  magnificent.  'I'lo 
island  is  covenul  with  valuable  timber,  but  what  the  characti'i' 
of  its  soil  ma}'  be  is  yet  unknown.  It  is  a  favorite  resort  of"lli(> 
reindeer  in  sunnuer,  and  the  shores  of  the  l:\ko  oppositi;  to  it 
})resent  the  b(>st  ground  for  decn-stalking  in  the  island,  as  the 
deer  >wim  across  when  settinti"  out  on  their  southern  mii>'ratioiu 
and  collei't  in  herds  on  the  "barrens"  near  the  lake. 

The  next  largest  lake  is  Red  Indian  Lake,  through  wliicli  the 
IJix'cr  I^xploits  Hows.  It  is  thirty-seven  miles  long  and  iVoai 
hall'-a-mile  to  three  miles  wide,  Avith  an  area  of  sixty-four  s(iiiMr(' 
miles.  Around  its  shores  are  inrests  of  llnc^  timber,  indicative 
of  a  fertile  soil.  (Jreat  (rander  Lake  is  thirty-tlu'cc^  mih's  in 
len;.!tli.  with  an  avera^'e  width  of  two  miles,  and  t-overs  an  areii 
of  forty-fotu'  s(|uar(>  miles.  Its  banks,  and  that  of  (he  (laiulcr 
Iiiver  which  Hows  through  it,  pri.-'ut  innnens(>  (i-acts  of  the 
finest  agrit'ultural  and  timber  lands  in  the  island.  Deer  Lake, 
tliiough  which  the  Ilumber  Hows,  is  l.ui  ten  feet  above  the  high- 
tide  le\(d,  and  has  an  area  of  twenty-four  stjuare  miles.  Tin' 
hiMil  aroiuid  it  is  fertile  in  the  high(>st  degree.  Sandy  Lake 
^'ictol'ia,  Hind's,  'i'erra  Xova,  and  Cieorge  IV.  lakes  range  next 
in  si/e. 

As  yet  the  shores  of  these  great  lak(>s,  the  valleys  through 


I :  H  1 


a     ■  ! 


SITUATIOX,   MOUNTAIXS,   AND  RIVERS. 


\-2?^ 


which  these  noble  stroiims  How,  are  absolute  solitudes,  without 
a  .-single  human  inhal)itant.  The  niaguiticont  pino  forests  are 
left  to  rot,  or  perish  by  tire.  The  soil  is  fertile  enoujzh  to  sus- 
tiiiii  many  thousands  of  })eoi)le  in  comfort,  but  it  is  as  yet 
uiitouciied  by  [)lougli  or  s[)ade.  The  "  forests  primeval  "  show 
no  clearings  won  by  human  industry.  All  is  prifuitive  wilder- 
ness. It  may  seem  sur[)risin<;  that  such  should  be  the  case  in 
an  island  only  tive  days'  st(!amiiig  distance  from  (Ireat  Britain, 
and  with  thousands  of  emigrants  passing  these  shores  every 
day  to  seek  ii  home  in  the  far  west  of  America.  But  it  nmst  be 
remembered  that  until  recently  th(>  very  existence  of  Xew- 
foundland's  fertih;  lands  and  valuable  ibrests  was  unknown. 
Xow  that  th(!  great  revolutionist,  ihe  railway,  is  about  to  render 
her  solitudes  accessible,  a  portion  of  the  great  stream  of 
emigration  will  ere  leng  be  diverte<l  towards  these  untenantc^d 
wastes,  wh.'ch,  by  human  industry,  may  l)e  made  to  "  lilossom 
like  the  rose." 


m 


H 


124 


NE  WFO UNDLAND. 


f 

'II 

1 

|:  1.1  'f 

1 ,', 

! 

|i| 

i' 

i 

ffn 

i 

IF 

ill 

h' 

^'to 

iii 

1'! 

CHAPTER   II. 


ST.    JOHN'S,    TIIH   CAPITAL   OF   NEWFOUNDLAND. 

Tli(>  site  (if  tlic  city  — Till'  Narrows  —  CliaractiT  of  the  local  htiildin^^s — •Tlic 
new  (lock  —  Water  siiiijily  —  I'rotcctioii  against  fire  —  CliurclK'S  and  cliaitls 
—  (jovLM'miK'iU  olKcos  ami  hanks  — I'cjiuilation  and  its  religious  dcnoiiiiiia- 
tions. 


■>\ 


All  travellors  who  visit  St.  John's  admire  the  strikini;  nml 


|)icturos(|uc  approach  to  the  harl)or,  and  the  fine  view  on  ci 


111' 


ni<>'  Us  waters. 


I 


n  a 


lolt 


V  iron-houna  coas 


t,  \vl 


lose  tjrun  rock- 


iVown  (U'liaucc  on  the  hillows  of  {\\(\  Atlantic,  llierc  snddeiilv 


presents  itself  to  the  V()_\au'<'r  a  narrow  o[)enin« 


\\\ 


11 


10  roelvv 


wa 


!1, 


as  II 


1>y  some  convulsioii  of  natm-e,  the  rani])art  had 


)eeii 


rent  astnider,  and  llie  sea  had  riialied  in.  liills  from  live  to  >i\ 
hundred  t'cel  hiuh  guard  this  o|)enin:n'  t>"  each  side,  and,  as  ilic> 
vi>ss(d  jilides  throuu'h,  the  traveller  loois.s  u[),  not  without  a  feel- 
ing of  awe,  at  the  great  elills  of  (hirk-rcid  sandstone  piled  in 
hroken  masses  on  a  foundation  of  gray  slate-roek.  On  his  ri;^iit 
he  sees  an  almost  })er[)endi(ad:n"  preei[)ie(\  thr(H'  Inuuhvfl  ['vv\  in 
height,  ahove  which  rises,  with  almost  e(]ual  st(>epni\ss,  tlu^ 
crest  of  Signal  Hill,  live  hundred  and  twenty  feet  ahove  the  1(\.  I 
of  the  sea,  on  which  stands  th(>  "  iiloek  House,"  for  signalling 
vessels  as  they  ap[)roach  tlu^  harhor.  On  the  left  hand  lli-  hill 
rises  still  higher  I>y  a  hundred  feet,  pielures(|ue,  lugged.  mid 
hroken.  h'rom  its  hase  a  rocky  [)romontoiy  juts  out,  i'o'ining 
the  entrance  of  th(>  Nari'ows  on  one  side,  on  tlu  suuunil  et' 
which  is  Fort   Amhei'st    Lighthouse,  where  is  hetird  tlu>  hoar-e 

Atlantic,  as  the  waves  break  on  tiie  I'oek-; 


roar  of  tin-  rest le 
l)enealli.  It  is  a  scene  which  for  gran(h)ur  and  j.uhlimity  i.-  not 
surpassed  along  the  entire  American  coast.  Formiu'Iy  hatterie-, 
tu'ined  with  lormidahle  gnus,  rose  on(>  over  the  other  amid  tln' 
clefts  ot' these  rocks :  hut  years  au'o  the  garrison  wtis  with<lra\\n 


g  ami 
oiitcr- 
rocks 
dciily 
Rtrky 

to  ^^i.\ 
llio 
W\- 

(1  ill 
i-!il 

il  ill 

\r^r\ 

IliiiL' 

hiii 

and 

uiiijj 

I    ol" 

lar-c 

I'ock-; 

not 
'I'ii'-. 

raw  n 


■  ^  ■■   ■( 


» 


ST.   JOT/X'S,    THE   CAPITAL    OF  XEWFOUSDLAXD.         12.5 


ir 


aiul  tlio  ciinnoii  removed.  Tlie  Xurrows  leadini;  to  the  Imrhor 
arc  nearly  half  a  mile  in  length,  and  it  is  not  till  t  wo-liii'-ds 
of  t!iem  are  passed  that  the  city  itself  ojxmis  to  view,  as,  at  ihe 
tfiinination  of  this  channel,  the  harbor  trends  suddenly  to  the 
we-t,  thus  completely  shutting  out  the  swell  from  the  ocean. 
In  ten  minutes  after  leaving  the  Atlantic  a  steamer  is  safely 
moored  at  the  wharf  in  the  still  waters  of  a  perfectly  landlocked 
liailuir.  Vessels  of  the  largest  tonnage;  can  enter  at  all  pci'iods 
of  I  lie  tide?,  the  j'ise  of  whii-h  does  not  exceed  four  feet.  The 
trance  of  the  Narrows,  between  Signal  Hill  and  Foi't  Amherst, 
I)()ut  fourteen  hunch'ed  feet  in  width:  and  at  the  narrowest 


ell 


IS  a 


an( 


I  Chain   Kocks,  the  chanixd  is  not 


point,  hetween  lancakc 
iiKU'e  than  six  hundred  feet.  The  harbor  is  about  a  mile  in 
length,  aiid  nearly  half  a  milc!  in  width.  It  is  d(«c[),  with  a  nuid 
bottom,  having  from  iive  to  ten  fathoms,  and  in  tlu;  centre  it  is 
■ty  i'ect  in  depth.     Of  its  size  it  would  be  diilicult  to  find  a 


nim 


till 


rr  liart)()r. 


The  city  is  built  on  the  northcu'u  side  of  the  harbor  on  a  site 
which  could  scarcely  bo  suri)assod.  From  the  water's  cA'^i.'  the 
ground  rises  with  a  slope  till  the  summit  is  reached,  whei-e  there 
is  I  large  level  space.  Along  the  face  of  this  slope  the  main 
>treets  run,  and  the  city  is  rapidl}'  extending  itself  in  all  direc- 
tions beyond.  The  facilities  for  drainage  are  all  that  coiiM  be 
<l('-ired.  Three  })rincipal  streets  run  parallel  with  the  harbor 
th  one  another  the  whole  leni>:th  of  the  citv,  and  these 


;iiii 


wi 


111'    mteivsected    by   a    numl)er   ot    cross-street 


f 


Th 


rcn'ine 


tollow  the  siimosities  of  the  harbor,  so  that  th(\v  \\\\\  irregular 
Mild  winding.  On  the  south  side  the  hills  s})ring  so  abru[)tly 
from  the  water  that  only  a  snllicit-nt  site  for  a   range  of  ware- 


llOll^c 


and    oil  factories    could    b 


scoonec 


d 


out . 


I- 


rom 


lie 
le 


waters  of  the  harbor  the  city  presents  a  viuy  pictures(|i 
aplu'arance,  climbing  the  slope  of  the  hill,  which  is  crowneil  by 
the  Ivomau  Catholic  cathe(lral,  a  n()l)le  structure,  which  over- 
looks the  whole.  There  is  ample  sjiace  in  every  direction  for 
cNiiausion.  Already,  on  the  smnmits  overlooking  the  business 
jiart  of  the  city,  houses  of  a  superior  description  are  erected; 


nil 


1  these  will  ere  long  grow  into  crescents  and  squares,  and 
»iiii  the    fashiona])lo   (juarters.     AVater   street,    the    principal 


Mi 


12G 


KE  WFO  UXDLA  XD. 


Nw 


ii! 


business  street,  presents  u  very  sul)stiintial  though  not  h.'ind- 
some  Jippearuuee,  the  houses  l)eing  of  stone  or  briek.  Shops, 
stones,  luul  mercantile  counting-houses  occu[)y  the  ground-lloors, 
\vhii(!  the  merchants  and  shopkeepers  live  in  the  U])per  stories. 
The  lish  stores  and  other  warehouses  and  the  whai'ves  inojcct 
from  behind,  on  the  side  next  the  h.rljor.  ]\Iany  of  the  .-^hojjs 
p'.f'sent  a  very  handso'.'^  ap;  "aM  c.  In  other  })art>  of 
the  city  tiie  hous  ■  ire  '.y-.-  i-M-  mo.t  part  built  of  wood,  and 
many  of  them  are  din;,  v  .•;"  1  ..  >  imonphux'.  Of  late  years, 
however,  taste  has  l)een  devei>;]iing  .;,  ?  houses  have  Ikhmi  liuilt 
of  a  superior  description.  Gradutdly  the  wooden  building>  will 
l)e  re[)laced  by  houses  built  on  the  best  models.  Increasing 
wealth  and  the  growth  of  the  middle  class  will  lead  to  greater 
regard  for  appearances.  j\Iorc  attention  will  be  given  to  the 
condition  of  the  streets  and  sidewalks,  now  too  nuich  negleeied  ; 
to  the  proper  lighting  and  cleansing  of  the  city;  and  a  corpora- 
tion, the  want  of  which  is  now  felt  severely,  will  take  ehaige 
of  all  urban  matters,  and  carry  out  improvements  of  all  kind-. 
In  due  \\\\\(\  St.  John's  will  l)e  transformed  into  a  hand-uiue 
city,  for  the  magnihcent  site  it  occupies  admits  of  the  introduction 
of  the  l)est  improvements  of  modern  times.  As  it  is,  biir>ines> 
engi'osses  the  thoughts  of  all ;  and  i)erhaps  there  are  few  towns 
of  equal  si/e  in  which  so  nmch  business  is  transacted  and  money 
made  in  the  course  of  a  year. 

Already  the  want  of  more  harlior  accommodation  is  felt,  and 
it  will  soon  l)e  found  necessary  to  deei)en  and  extend  the  Iiar'nir 
at  its  western  extremity,  so  as  to  admit  of  an  increa.-e  of 
wharfage.  The  want  of  a  graving-dock  is  at  length  to  be  >np- 
plied.  Last  session  th(!  legislature  granted  a  charter  to  a  eoni- 
[)any  who  have  contracted  to  Ituild  a  dry-dock  of  -ueh 
dimensions  as  to  be  able  to  receive  the  largest  steamers  alloiit. 
The  length  of  its  tloor  is  to  be  six  hundred  feet,  (he  width  iit 
top  one  hundred  feet,  at  bottom  eighty-three  feet,  and  the 
depth  twenty-six  feet.  Such  a  dock  will  be  equal  to  aiiylhing 
on  this  side  the  Athmtic.  The  cost  is  estimated  at  a  milliDii 
dollars.  This  great  pul»lic  work  will  give  an  innnense  in)pid-c 
to  tiu>  business  of  the  port.  There  are  now  a  fleet  of  thirty 
steamers  and  a  lariie  number  of  sailing  vessels  connected  with 


ST.   JOHN'S,    THE  CAPITAL    OF  XEWFOUXDLAXD.        127 


the  port  oi"  St.  John's,  tlio  l)ulk  oi  tliem  engtirc'd  in  the  seal- 
tishciy.  'i  loir  owners  will  luive  the  groat  iulvuntage  of  getting 
ilic  re[)airs  done  on  t^'3  N))ot.  St.  John's  11  -  far  ont  in  the 
Atlantic,  p  ar  th-  track  of  all  the  great  trans-Atlantic  lines  of 
jtcaniers  .md  when  the  dock  is  coni[)leied,  the  jjort  will  hcconie 
■he  jii'eat  harbor  of  refn  re  f'  /  any  that  meet  with  accidents  or 
hoconie  from  any  cause  disabled.  Hence  this  dock,  capable  (»f 
atcounnodating  the  largest  steamers,  is  reall5'"  of  international 
iini)or<^ancc.  On  the  security  of  the  colony  the  necessary  funds 
liuve  been  already  obtained,  and  the  work  is  now  well  under  way. 

St.  John's  enjoys  t.-3  iiumensc  advantage  of  j^osscssing  an 
abundant  supply  of  the  purest  water.  The  terrible  tir(!s  which 
devastated  the  city  again  and  again  taught  an  inipr<>ssive  les- 
son in  regard  to  the  importance  of  a  good  supply  of  water  as 
a  security  against  such  calamities,  to  say  nothing  of  sanitary 
considerations.  The  cost  of  the  water-works,  eoiniiienee(l  in 
1(S()(),  was  considerable  ;  l)ut  the  saving  etfectcd  in  tlie  reduc- 
tion of  insurance  rates,  ))y  the  introduction  of  the  water  sii})- 
l)ly,  more  than  covered  the  city  taxation  for  the  payment  of  the 
interest  on  the  investment  ;  while,  at  the  sanu;  time,  the  imblic 
licallh  has  been  improved,  and  habits  of  cleanliness  promoted 
aniouii;  the  workinix-classes.  St.  John's  is  rarelv  visited  witli 
cpidenjics,  and  is  one  of  the  healthiest  cities  on  the  American 
side  of  the  Atlantic. 

The  supply  of  water  is  obtained  from  AVindsor  Lake,  four 
and  a  half  miles  distant  from  the  city,  and  standing  at  a  height 
aliovt!  it  of  live  hundred  feet.  Tlu'  pressiu'c  is  thus  so  great 
tliat  water  from  the  hydrants  ean  be  thrown  over  the  highe-t 
huildings.  In  case  of  fire  there  is  no  need  of  engines,  the  hose 
being  at  once  attached  to  the  hydrants,  whence  water  in  abun- 
dance can  be  poured  on  tin'  eonllagration.  The  area  of  the 
lake  is  over  two  square  miles,  and,  wert'  it  neei'ssary,  the  flow 
of  a  stream  which  runs  out  of  it  could  be  arrested,  and  a  su[)- 
ply  of  water  (Mpial  to  the  consumi)tion  of  a  city  two  or  three 
times  as  })opul()us  as  St.  John's  could  l»i'  obtaine(l.  As  it  is 
the  supply  is  abundant,  and  the  consiunption  unrestricted. 
Turco  millions  of  gallons  are  rim  otf  dailv  in  the  citv.  The 
water  is  soft,  pure,  and  excellent  for  all  household  purposes. 


• 


12.S 


XE  WFO  UXDL  A  XD. 


The  lake. litis  a  shingly  bottom,  i'.nd  no  mud.  Tlicni  are  in  tlic 
city  forty  street-fountains,  and  nearly  two  thousand  scrvicc- 
pijies.  Water  from  a  scvcn-ciirhlh  nozzle  ean  he  thrown  from 
a  hydrant  to  a  distanee  of  one  hundred  and  iifty  fc^et  aloiiLr  the 
street,  and  to  a  height  of  fifty  feet  against  a  wall.  The  lire 
brigade  consists  of  one  IhukU'cmI  and  ten  men,  all  volunteers. 
\()  fire  of  any  considerable  extent  has  occurnMl  since  the  intro- 
duction of  tlu;  water,  and  few  cities  enjoy  greater  securitv 
against  tire,  notwithstanding  that  two-thirds  of  it  consist  of 
woodcMi  houses.  The  water-works  have  been  constructed  bv  ;i 
joint-stock  company,  with  a  capital  of  $400,000,  the  interest  on 
which  is  guaranteed  by  government  at  the  rate  of  five  per  cent. 
T!ie  water-rates  are  iixcd  so  as  to  metit  the  interest  on  tlu;  capi- 
tal stock  of  the  company,  togetlusr  with  the  working  ex})eiises. 
The  amount  of  revenue  collected  annually  is  $;}3,(!00.  The 
annual  working  expenses  amount  to  $0,340.  Three  rates  are 
collected  to  meet  interest  and  expenses  :  the  lirst,  cii  freehoM 
pr()[)erty,  for  protection  against  lire  ;  second,  on  the  o"cui)i('r, 
which  is  the  consumption  rate  ;  and  third  on  vessels  entering 
the  port,  five  cents  per  ton  once  a  year,  and  also  twenty  cent> 
per  Ion  on  all  coal  landed  in  the  town.  The  rate  is  moderate. 
A  house,  the  rent  of  which  is  $1()0  per  annum,  will  pa}'  as 
water  rate  al)out  $1S,  and  others  in  pro[)ortion.  The  poorer 
classes  are  sup[)lied  at  public  fountains  without  charge,  'flic 
business  of  the  water  comi)any  is  conducted  by  three  directors, 
Avho  an;  api)ointed  by  government. 

The  churches  in  the  city  arc  the  Ivoman  Catholic  Cathedral ; 
St.  Patrick's  Church;  Church  of  England  Cathedral:  St. 
Thomas  and  St.  Mary's  Churches,  belonging  to  the  Cliurch  of 
England  :  Gower  Street,  George  Street,  and  Cochrane  Street 
(Wesleyan)  ;  St.  Andrew's  Presbyterian  Church;  and  the  Con- 
gregational ('liurcli. 

The  most  conspicuous  building  is  the  Roman  Catholic  Cathe- 
dral, occupying  a  commanding  site  on  the  summit  of  the  hill 
on  which  the  city  is  built.  It  is  richly  ornamented  with  statu- 
ary and  paintings,  and  over  the  gateway  and  near  tlu^  entrance 
aic  some  line  piectvs  of  sculpture.  The  catlunlral  is  built  in 
the  loi'm  of  a  Latin  cross,  the  entire  length  beiiii;  two  hundie  I 


ST.   JOirX'S,    THE   CAPITAL    OF  XEWFOUXDLAXn. 


129 


iunl  tliirty-.scvt'ii  fret,  and  the  Icnirth  of  ti'ansepts  ono  Imndrcd 
;iii<l  ci.irlity  feet.  The  two  towers  in  front  rise  to  the  heitrht  of 
one  hundred  and  tliirty-eiirht  feet.  'I'he  exterior  facinirs  are  of 
linu'stone  and  Irish  jrranite.  The  .stone  of  which  it  is  huilt  was 
obtained    principally  in  Kelly's    Island,  Conception  Uay,   and 


KOMAN    CATHOLIC   CATilEUllAL. 


Mas  all  carried  and  l)rought  to  the  spot  by  voluntary  labor. 
It  was  opened  for  worshij)  in  1<S.')0.  Close  beside  the  cathedral 
lire  the  ei)iscopal  residence,  the  Catholic  College,  and  the  Pres- 
entation Convent  and  schools. 

The  Church  of  England  Cathedral,  Avhen  completed,  will 
rank  among  the  tinest  ecclesiastical  editices  in  British  Amei'ica. 
The  nave  was  completed  and  o[)ened  for  service  in  LSoO  ;  and 
tile  transepts,  chancel,  and  towtir  are  now  in  course  of  erection 
trom  a  design  of  Sir  Cilbert  Scott,  -and  will  probably  bi;  tin- 
i-licil  in  two  or  three  years.  Its  length,  when  completed,  will 
'x'  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet;  its  width  tifty-six  feet,  and 
its  lower  and  spire  one  hundred  and  thirty  feet.  It  is  of  the 
poiuttMl  (Jothic  or  ecclesiastical  styh;  of  architecture  ;  and  the 
Workmanship,  externally  and  interi\ally,  is  l)eautifully  tinished. 


'•'  ,: 


130 


XEIVFOUXDLAXD. 


lli':'f^'= 


Its    lofly    poinU'il    windows  arc    tilled   with    line   cxaiiii)!!-.  ot" 
stained  <rlass. 

Th(5  tliree  AVesloyan  elmirhos  are  tasteful  and  coniinodious 
erections.  St.  Andrew's  Presliyterian  ('luircli  is  u  liaiidxtnic 
brick  and  stone  striieture  in  the  centre  of  the  city.  The  Con- 
jrrcirational  Church  is  a  plain  stone  ])uildinjj:  which  was  oi)cnc(l 
in  1S;>;}. 


.3f*"''-v 


G0VERN3IENT  nOUSK. 


Anioiiii:  llie  |)ul)lic  luiildinus,  (Jovernmcnt  House  and  the 
Colonial  Jiuildinji,  or  ParlianuMit  House,  arc  the  most  inipdr- 
t:inl.  Both  arc  situated  on  the  ],)lateau  stretching  inland  I'idiii 
the  termination  of  the  sloi)ing  dtxdivity  on  which  the  ni.iiii 
portion  of  the  city  stands.  (Government  House  is  a  plain. 
sul)stantial,  and  spacious  building,  Avithout  any  architect iiial 
pretensions;  hut  in  regai"<l  to  internal  accommodation  aiiil 
comfort  it  is  all  that  could  be  desired.  Its  erection,  in  l^'l!^. 
cost  the  Imperial  (Jovermnent  £.')0.00()  sterling.  The  gn itiiids 
around  it  are  tastefully  hiid  out  and  planted.  The  Colonial 
liuilding  is  one  lumdr(>d  and  ten  feet  in  length,  and  cigliiy- 
eight  in  breadth,  and  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $100,000.  Tin' 
white  limestone,  of  which  it  is  huilt,  was  imjiortcd  from  Cork. 
It  has  a  stone  portico,  supported  by  six  massive  pillars,  thirty 


'im^ 


ST.  JOHN'S,    THE  CAPITAL    OF  XEWFOUXDLAXD.        \M 


tVet  liiirli,  of  the  Ionic  order,  ri's(MnI)liiiir  stronirly  tlic  front  of 
the  liritish  Museum  on  u  small  seale.  The  foun(hit ion-stone 
was  hiid,  in  1847,  hy  Sir  (Jasjiard  Le  ]Marehant.  who  was  then 
(iovernor,  and  it  was  tirst  occupied  by  the  h'<rislature  in  l'S.')0. 
The  l)uiklini4-  contains  chambers  for  the;  two  branches  of  the 
IcLiislature,  each  thirty  feet  by  Hftv  ;  and  the  whole  of  the  <H)\- 
cnunent  oiiices,  with  the  exception  of  that  of  the  Surveyor- 
(ieneral,  which  is  now  removed  to  the  Athenivuin. 

i)\w.  of  the  liandsomest  and  most  conspicuous  of  the  public 
htiildinijs  is  tlie  Athenivum.  The  foundation-stone  of  this  crec- 
tion  was  laid,  in  1.S75,  by  Sir  IIu<>h  Iloyles,  Chief  Justice.  It 
was  completed  and  opened  in  1S77,  the  total  cost  havinu'  been 
$5S,()00.  It  is  owned  by  a  joint-stock  company,  and  is  >o 
well  manaijed  as  to  pav  a  fair  dividend  to  the  shareholders. 
The  building  comprises  a  public  hall,  handsome  and  well-jiro- 
jjortioned,  in  which  concerts,  lectures,  and  public  meetiniis  of 
all  kinds  take  place,  capable  of  aceonuuodating  a  thousand 
liersons  ;  a  reading-room  and  library,  rented  by  the  Athenieiun 
Literary  Institute  —  the  former  sui)plied  with  the  leading  news- 
))ai)('rs  and  periodicals  of  liritain  and  America,  and  the  latter 
containing  live  thousand  volumes  of  well-selected  books.  The 
Savings-ljank,  the  oflice  of  the  Surveyor-General,  the  (Jeologi- 
cal  Survey  office,  the  ofhee  of  the  Cohniial  Railway  Engineer, 
are  also  in  the  same  building.  The  Athcmeum  building  is  a 
credit  to  the  city  in  its  ap})earance,  external  and  internal,  and 
serves  important  purposes  of  public  utility. 

St.  l*atrick's  Ilall,  lately  comideted  and  oi)ened,  is  still  larger 
than  the  Atheuieum  Hall,  and  is  a  building  of  noble  proportions, 
.-uh>tantial,  handsome  in  appearance,  and  admirably  arrange(l. 
The  hall  occupies  the  cntii  second  story,  and  on  the  groiuid- 
ilotu"  are  the  spacious  school  loonis  of  the  Christian  Brother^. 
in  which  about  four  hundred  children  are  receiving  an  education. 

The  Union  and  Connuercial  Banks  are  both  tine  ornamental 
Iitiildings,  and  iidmiral)ly  adajjted  to  the  j)urposes  for  which 
Mich  institutions  arc  designed.  The  Court-IIouse,  Police-Otlice, 
and  Post-Otlicc  are  under  the  same  roof,  and  little  can  b(>  said 
ill  connuendation  of  this  buildiiiir.  An  Act  has  l)een  ]»assed 
iiulliorizing  the  erection  of  a  new  Bost-Ollice,  which  is  greatly 


132 


J^'E  WFO  UNDLAND. 


m 


nocdod.  Ill  addition  to  the  foregoing  buildings  there  ar(^ 
convents,  acadernies,  and  scliools.  The  Penitentiary,  a  solid 
granite  building,  and  the  })ublie  hospital,  are  on  the  outskirts  of 
the  city.  Both  these  institutions  are  creditably  managed,  and 
will  compare  favorably  with  those  of  any  of  the  neighboring 
colonies.  The  Lunatic  Asylum  is  a  handsome  building  of  brick 
and  stone,  possessing  a  })icturesque  and  bciiutiful  site,  about 
three  miles  froi-i  the  city.  It  is  also  well  arranged  and  under 
excellent  management. 

St.  John's  liMs  of  late  years  made  respectable  progress  in 
manufactures.  It  has  three  iron  foundries,  two  well-apjiolnfcd 
machine  shops,  a  large  boot  and  shoe  factory,  an  extensive 
furniture  factory,  two  tol)acco  factories,  soap  and  candle  woiks, 
u  woollen  factory,  and  a  tannery.  A  factory  for  the  manufacture 
of  ropes,  twine,  nets,  seines,  etc.,  is  also  in  course  of  erection. 
Now  tliut  a  railway  and  u  dock  are  going  forward,  a  grcut 
impulse;  will  be  given  to  manufacturing  industry  of  all  kinds. 

Since  18156  St.  John's  has  doubled  its  population,  which  is 
now  estimated  at  30,000,  or  :i  sixth  of  the  entire  i)oi)ulati()n  of 
me  colony.  The  last  census,  taken  in  1874,  gave  the  popula- 
tion of  tlie  city  [)roper  as  23,890.  The  religious  denominations 
of  the  city  then  stood  as  follows  :  — 


Roman  Catholics 
Church  of  E?igland 
Wesley  an  Methodists    . 
Prchbyterians 
Congrcgationalists 


15,719 

4,r).53 

2,3(50 

715 

437 


There  were  3,907  inhabited  houses,  and  4,570  fan\ilies. 

The  city  is  in  latitude  47'^  33'  33"  N.,  and  52°  45'  10"  of 
west  longitude.  It  is  10°  52'  east  of  Halifax,  and  stands  on 
the  most  eastern  portion  of  the  .\merican  land.  Cape  Spear, 
live  miles  south  of  St.  John's,  alone  projecting  a  little  farthci 
towards  the  Old  World.  It  is  a  thousand  miles  nearer  England 
than  New  York,  and  but  sixteen  hundred  and  forty  miles  from 
the  Irish  coast. 


avo 
oli.l 
s  of 

uiid 
iviii^ 
>rkk 
bout 
ndcr 

^s  in 
intod 
iisivo 
orks, 
c<  uro 
•tion. 

;inds. 
ic'h  i-^ 
on  ol' 
[tula- 
lions 


I)"  of 
lis  on 


icar. 
I'liior 
jland 
IV'  mi 


jiii 


^1!  11 


! !  I 


:V*  i     M 


■¥ 


BAYS  AND   HARBORS. 


1.38 


CHAPTER  m. 

BAYS   AND  HARBORS. 

St.  John's — The  Narrows  —  Round  about  the  isliind  —  Placentia  Bay  —  Burin 
and  St.  Pierre  —  Fortune  Bay  —  The  Ponjiuiii  Islands  —  Cape  Ray  —  On  the 
hanks  of  Bay  St.  George  —  Discovery  of  lead  and  other  minerals  —  Marhle 
lieds  in  the  Humber  —  The  Straits  of  Belle  Isle  —  The  Bay  of  Notre  Dame 
and  Bett's  Cove  —  "  The  beautiful  Conception  Bay." 

The  harbor  on  which  St.  Johu'.s,  the  oapiral,  is  built,  is 
situated  in  (he  centre  of  the  Avalon  penin.sula,  and  is  spacious 
and  well  sheltered. 

Leaving  the  capital  for  a  rapid  excursion  round  the  island, 
in  order  to  form  some  idea  of  the  bays  and  harl)()rs,  let  us  turn 
southward.  At  the  distance  of  twenty  miles  from  St.  John's 
we  pa.ss  Bay  of  Bulls  (a  corrui)tion,  })rol)ably,  of  the  French 
Bii>/  de  Bois,  Bay  of  the  Woods),  a  tine  harbor  and  an  impor- 
tant tishing-station ;  and  twenty  miles  farther  Ferryland  comes 
ill  sight — one  of  the  oldest  settlements  in  the  island,  founded 
by  Lord  Baltimore  in  1()23.  Here  are  some  ancient  ruins  and 
the  remains  of  fortifications.  Sixty  miles  south  from  St.  John's 
tlic,  well-known  Cape  Race  is  reached  —  the  south-east  point 
of  the  island,  where  the  land  trends  to  the  westward.  The 
const  hevv!  i)resents  a  grim,  repulsive  aspect,  and  is  associat^'d 
with  many  a  tale  of  shipwreck  and  disaster.  St.  Shotts, 
twciity-tivo  miles  fartlier,  is  the  most  dreaded  and  fatal  spot 
on  these  shores,  where  many  a  gallant  ship  has  met  her  doom, 
and  many  a  mariner  has  gone  down  "unknellcd,  uncotlined, 
fuid  unknown." 

Tiie  cause  of  nnmy  of  thesis  marine  disasters  is  the  indraught 
of  the  great  bays,  and  the  irregular  current  and  undertow 
cmised  by  two  tidal  waves  which  are  here  eonlluent.  St. 
Mary's,  the  tirst  of  the  great  bays,  now  opens,  being  twenty'- 


w 


r-  n. 


l.'^4 


XEWForxnr.AXD. 


Ml'' 


five  nnlcs  wide  !it  llio  nioutli,  aiul  ninnlni!;  tliidy-tivc  miles 
iiiliiiul.  Tlio  !^i)l(MHli(l  iirins  of  this  buy,  Salinonior  and  CoHik  t, 
reach  still  farther  into  the  laud  :  and  lioro  aro  soino,  of  th(>  liiu -t 
>ahn()n  tisheries  in  the  country:  Avhilc  their  heavily-tinilicnd 
shores,  Avilh  a  fertile  soil,  present  most  inviting   locations  for 


«ttl 


(>nie'-s. 


'repassey,  hetwecu 


exc.'.:< 


Cai)0  Pi.-o  and  St.  ">rary's  i- 


111! 


♦    Ii'mIhv,  and  has  a  pnxhi  tive  lisliery.     St.    Mm 


witli  a  ic;  I 


alio;     ;)f  seven    hundred,   has    an   e\ten>ive   >-Ii"ri 


(Ki-lislierv,  iUiil    1 


-o 


uiewiint    of    a    larmiuu'    disti'ict 


A  f! 


[)a  - 
laru;* 


• .  ih 


M:uv 


.p;-'r   th<'    Itav   of    riaceulia.  ''i<' 


i-l;;im.       It     is    lil'tv-tive    Ulih-s    wide    ;it    th 


e    I'M- 


1 1 


BAYS  AXD  HARBORS. 


135 


IraiH'c,  jiiul  1ms  a  depth  of  ninety  mik'^.  Tts  fislierios  t)t"  t-od. 
Iiciriiiir,  :ui<l  salmon  are  misuri)iiss('(l,  and  its  st  I'ncry  is  rcii 
diTCil  more  i)ietures(jue  I)}'  the  munerous  islanil-.  wliicli  -tud 
its  tecminir  waters.  'I'he  town  of  Placentia,  l)uih  .it  the  head 
of  a  niairnihetuit  harhor,  is  a  plaee  of  historie  intere>t.  It  was 
Innii'  hehl  by  the  Freneh,  iind  was  foun(h'<l  in  1  (!<!()  nnder  a 
iirant  from  Lonis  XIV.  of  Franei;.  Its  site  is  very  jx'culiar, 
as  it  is  huiit  on  a  lieach  of  coarse  irravel,  aiul  two  eousideralth" 
arms  of  tl>e  sea  extend  inhind  several  miles  heyond  the  town, 
fiildinii"  jrreatly  to  the  beauty  and  interest  of  llu;  scenery.  It 
lias  a  ))o[)ulation  of  upwards  of  a  thousand. 

Ihnin,  in  tin;  same  hay,  occupied  hy  two  thousand  three 
hundred  })eople,  is  situateil  on  oiu;  of  the  linest  landlocked 
liail)ors  in  the  island.  It  has  (!\ti'nsive  lishei'ies,  and  a  lar2"e 
trade  with  St.  I'ieri'e.  Next  in  position  is  Fortmie  r>ay.  which 
i^  altout  twenty-live  miles  \vi<l((  and  seventy  in  length.  This  is 
one  of  tJH!  princJi):d  seats  of  the;  herrintj-Hshery.  Gn-at  ninn- 
hci's  of  Amerit-an  vessels  visit  F()rtun(^  F>ay  for  hait.  At  Lonir 
liiiilior,  in  I'ST-S,  some  rs'ewfoundlanders  interfered  with  the 
ii|icrations  of  a  number  of  American  Hshernjen,  who  were,  as 
ihcy  believed,  violatinir  tiu'  local  laws  in  retiard  to  the  time  and 
mode  of  taking"  Iwrrinu'.  '!'his  petty  stpiabltk;  was  maL;nilie(l 
into  an  JMlernational  dilKealty.  After  lenuMhene(l  diplomatic 
coi'res[)()ndoneo,  the  British  (iovei'ument  ay^reed  to  pay  £ir).00il 
as  <'omj)ensation  for  dainau'cs  allen'cd  to  have  been  sustaine([  by 
tlic  Americans.  At  the  entrance;  of  Fortune  Uay  arc;  the  i  wo 
inlands  (»f  St.  Pierre  and  Miipielon,  ceded  by  ti'caty  to  1*' ranee 
lor  ih(!  shelter  of  their  lishernuMi :  and  now  the  onlv  relics  of 
the  \ast  possessions  onc(;  held  by  France;  in  North  America. 
I'^oi'tmu;  Uay  has  s(>veral  pictures(pie  arms,  the  laru'cst  of  wiiicli 
arc  I'ay  l)"l'>i)oir,  ilermitau'i;  Iiay,  and  Connaiirre  Hay.  i'^rom 
l''ortiin<'  Hay  then;  is  a  strai^dit  line  of  coa>t  called  the  "  west- 
ern shore,"  which  is  upwards  of  (ine  hundrcil  miles  in  Icuiith. 
a.hl  terminates  at  Cape  Kay.  It  is  indented  wiih  mnnltcrs  of 
.^niall  bays  and  harbors,  the  laru'cst  beinu'  La  Folic  and  Kose 
lilanclu^  Hays.  'I'here  are  also  numerous  clusters  of  i>lands, 
>uch  as  the  Fcmi'uin  Islands,  so  calle(l  from  the  multitude  of 
l)irds  of  that    nam*;  which   wi-re  formci'h'  seen  there,  and  ihe 


A: 


I  I 

'   t 


!  'I 


i\ 


fi.  J 


(I      '    M 

m 

•;-rO 


:    IP'  - 


I     ■'  \     : 


wamiWWii 


13() 


NE  WFO  UXDLAND. 


Burgeo  Isliinds,  from  tlic  l:ir<ifost  of  which  Cajjtiiin  James  Coo 
tlie  celebrated  iiaviuator,  oI)serve(l  an  t^clipse  of  tlie  sim  in  17(1 


Ca})0  Kay  is  th(!  most  western  jjoiiit  of  the  island,  and  o| 


)i)(i- 


site  to  it,  at  tlu^  distance  of  aliout  tifty  miles  to  the  south-west, 
is  Cape  North,  in  the  Island  of  Cape  lireton.  These  two  capes 
guard  the  entrance  of  ihe  (iulf  of  St.  Lawrence.  It  is  aeross 
this  narrow  strait  that  the  Great  American  and  European  Sliort 
Line  l{;dlway  Company  propos(^  to  estaltjish  a  transit  liy  swifl 
steamers.  At  C!ape  itay  counncmees  what  has  been  po]ml!nIy 
called  the  French  Shore,  from  the  fact  that  the  French  have 
certain  tishintr  )>rivileires  secured  t(>  them  here  by  the  treaties 


of  Utrecht,  N'ersaille 


nd  Paris.     The  coast  included  in  ti 


lese 


treaties  cixtends  from  Cajx'  Ray  around  the  western  and  nortli- 
ei'u  shores,  and  termiiuites  at  Cape  John,  on  the  north-east 
coa^t.      It  includes  the  best  ])art  of  the  island  in  regard  to  M>il, 


ii; 


1(111- 


climate,  timber,  coal,  marble,  and  gypsum  l>eds.  The  eiiei 
of  these,  treaties,  though  tlu'y  conferred  no  territorial  rights  on 
the  b'lench,  was  virtually  to  i)revent  st^ttlement,  as  no  titles  to 
lands  or  minerals  were  granted.  Last  year  these  restrict 
were  removed  by  the  British  (lovernnu'nt,  and  now  the  xi- 
called  Fri'iu'h  Shore  is  as  open  to  settlement  as  any  otlur 
l)ortion  of  the  island. 

rl\- 


1   )s 


Fnun  Ca[)e  Kay  to  Cape  .Vnguille  the  coast  is  singula 
"wild  and  ui\liospilablc,  varied  oi\ly  l)y  Little  Harbor,  whiel 
live  miles  from  tlu^  former.  The  (Jreat  and  I^ittle  Codroy 
rivers  discharge  their  waters  between  these  two  i)oints.  They 
(low  through  a  valley  which  redeenis  t!»e  barren  ajjpearance  nf 
the  shore.  It  is  forty  or  til'ty  miles  in  length,  and  for  fertility 
of  soil  could  scarcely  \w  surpassed.  Bay  St.  (Jeorge,  on  tlie 
banks  of  which  two  thousand  nine  hundred  persons  arc>  settli'd, 
comes  next  in  our  survey.  It  is  a  noble  bay,  som<;  forty  mile-; 
wide  at  the  mouth,  and  str(>tehing  far  inland,  with  a  good 
harlior  at  its  lu>ad.  Around  its  shores  art^  some  of  the  nio-t 
fi'rtile  valKys  in  tlit»  island,  but  aluK^st  without  a  human  iiihalii- 
tant.     Fine  forests  of  timber,  and  a  coal-field  of  laryfe.  extent 


el' 


await   the  hand  of   industry  and   enterprise.     Lead  and  otli 
minerals  have  been  iound  here,  and  also  in  the  piuiinsula  ft 
l'ort-u-l*ort,  which  extends  to  the  north-west  of  St.  (ieorgeV 


BAl'S  AXD   HARDORS. 


VM 


IIarl)or,  and  is  joined  to  the  niainlaiid  hy  a  narrow  istlinuis 
called  the  Gravels.  On  this  side  of  the  island  the  climate  is 
much  superior  to  that  of  tiie  southern  and  eastern  shores.  Fogs 
arc  unknown,  and  the  elfect  of  easterly  winds  unfelt. 

Ijay  of  Islands  (population  tifteen  hundred)  is  next  met  with, 
having  three  magnilicent  arms  running  twenty  miles  inland,  one 


\.-^3Hf?^ 


IlKTT'S    <  OVK    UAllllOIt,    NOTIIK    DAME   HAY. 


lit"  which  receives  the  lliunhi'r  river,  the  second  largest  strcaiu 
in  liic  island.  It  i>  tlu^  seat  of  a  winter  hcrriiig-ti>hery  of  great 
\.ilnc,  and  a  place  lor  the  exportation  cil"  lumber.  lv\ten>iv(! 
iicirhlc  l»c(ls  arc  loinid  at  the  m(»iith  of  the  Ilui.ilicr.  As  the 
iiaiuc  indicatc>.  tlii>  hay  contains  muucrous  i>land>.  I'xinnc 
I'MVj  t'arthci'   north,   has    two   long  arm-,  connnimicatinu''  with 


?f'!N 


1'^ 


i 


i 


m 


i'i. 


138 


NE  WFO  VXD  LA  XD. 


lakes  at  some  (li>tMiie'C  from  the  coast,  by  means  of  their  resj)cc- 
tivo  livers.  Other  hays  on  this  coast  ai"o  Inii'oniachoix  \\\{\\ 
divided  into  two  arms,  in  which  arc  Ilawke's  Ilarhor  and  Port 
Saunch'rs;  St.  John's  l>ay,  which  receives  tlic  waters  of  Ca^ioi- 
liiscr,  the  si/e  of  wliich  is  consideraMc  for  lifteen  niiles  inland. 
Alonu'  tile  Straits  of  I>ell(!  Ishi  tlie  coast  is  uniformly  strai^^ht, 
and  at  some  })oints  is  l)ut  niiu;  miles  distant  from  the  opposite 
coast  of  Lahi'ador.  Cajx^  Xorman  is  the  nortli-west  ])oint  of  tln^ 
island,  having;  on  tluj  (>ast  Pistolet  l>:iy.  Cajie  Banid,  with 
(^uirpon  Harbor  and  Island,  is  the  north-eastern  point  of  Xew- 
foundiand.  Hare  Bay  is  a  dee[)  and  wide  ii'uif,  reachiny'  up  more 
than  two-thirds  of  the  whole  l)i'eadth  of  this  part  of  the  island, 
which  is  veiy  narrow,  and  branchinu'  out  into  arms  and  l)ays. 
which  are  sheltercid  by  lofty  hills.  Tlu^  French  have  numci'ous 
iishinir  I'stablishments  on  this  part  of  \\w  coast.  Passinu"  (.'aiia<la 
Hay,  where  line  mai'ble  IxmIs  are  found,  and  White;  liay,  we  reach 
Cape  St.  .John,  the  tenuination  of  the  French  Shore. 

')'!!(  m!>i^niti(.eiit  l>ay  of  Xotro  Dame  now  opens  up  l)efore  the 
ua/e  of  th(>  voyawr  aIon<>:  the  coast.  It  is  more  than  tiftv  mile-; 
in  width  at  its  mouth,  and  with  its  numerous  arms  it  rearjics 
seventy  or  eighty  miles  inland.  Its  shores  arc^  now  famous  as 
the  i^reat  copper-  'carinu  n^i'Mon.  Here  are  situated  Tilt  C'ove. 
wlu're  the  tirst  C(<i  per  mine  was  opened,  in  IHIil::  ]>ett"s  Cove 
^line,  the  most  productive  yi>t  discovered  ;  and  l^itth;  liay  ^liiic, 
which  was  conunonced  in  1H7S,  and  ap[)ears  to  bo  one  of  the 
finest  c()[)per  mines  in  llu;  world.  The  whole  coast  here,  for 
miles  iidand,  is  covered  with  mining  grants  and  licenses,  and 
mineral  indications  are  met  over  an  extent  of  country  forty  or 
fifty  miles  in  length. 

Notre  Dame  Uay  contains  numerous  ishmds,  the  most  iinpdi'- 
tant  being  Twillingate  Island,  whore  there  is  a  population  of 
thi'ce  thousand  engaged  in  fishing;  and  Fogo,  with  a  [)oi)ulation 
of  eight  hundri'd  ;  llerring-Xeidi,  New  AVorld  Island,  with  :t 
popul.ttioii  of  one  thousand. 

Coming  south,  the  next  lai'go  I)ay  that  claims  attention  i- 
IJonavisia,  extending  from  Cai)o  Freels  to  Cape  UonaNi-lii, 
ha\  ing  numerous  groups  of  islands,  ai'ius,  and  inh^fs,  and  pi'i'- 
sentinu'  some  of  th*^  fines  scenerv  in  the  island.      The   land  in 


many 

fel'tilc 

(listric 

oldc-t 

of  thi 

tci'U  h 

teen  t 

77.1  j-.s-  Axn  /fAnnons. 


v:,9 


iiKiiiy  of  llu'so  isliuids  iiiul  around  llic  lu'iid  of  \\\v  hay  is  v(>ry 
irrlilc.  'Flu;  town  of'  Ijoiiavista  is  hcautirully  situated  in  a  tViiih' 
(listi'ict,  and  lias  a  population  of  three  thou>an<h  It  is  one  of  thc^ 
oldc'^t  s<'tth'nients.  (ii"eens[)ontl  is  an  island  on  the  north  side; 
(if  tlii.s  hay,  with  an  extensive  ti>lu'ry,  and  a  poi)ulation  of  six- 
teen hundred.  Tlic  whole  population  of  the  hay  nuuil)ors  thir- 
teen thousand. 


COM  l:i'TI  .N    llAY. 


Catalina  is  a  harhor  of  refui^e  at  tho  ontranco  of  Trinity  Pia}', 
a  niaii'nitieent  sheet  of  water  runniiiLi^up  se\'enty  or  eiLrht_\'  miles 
inland.  The  town  of  Trinity  lies  at  the  base  of  Rider's  Hill,  on 
niic  of  th(^  tinest  harhoivs  in  the  world.  On  the  south  side  of 
tlii>  li;iy  isihe  well-ivnown  iiarhor  of  Heart's  ('ontent,  where  the 
Atlanlic  e:ihles  ai'e  landed.  A  ])opnlation  of  llft(H.'n  thousand 
i>  rhi>iefed  around  the  shores  ot' Ti'inity  l>ay. 

iJaiidoni  Sound  and  Island,  from  the  fertility  of  the  .soil,  will 
Vet  \tv  the  ii'arden  of  Newfoundland. 


I  • 


hi 


i 


!  iii'i 

*     ^1 II 


m 


( ■■ 


■I .  \ 


140 


XE  WFO  UXDLA  ND. 


AVe  now  arrive  at  the  last  of  the  great  estuaries,  the  Itcautil'iil 
Conreption  Bay,  the  most  populous  and  conimercially  inii)ortaiit 
of  all  the  seats  of  populuti(ju,  containing  foity-one  tiiousaiul 
inhabitants,  and  many  thriving  towns,  villages,  and  settlements. 
Harbor  Grace,  on  its  northern  shore,  is  the  second  town  in  the 
island,  with  a  fine  harbor,  a  pojjulation  of  eight  thousand,  and 
an  extensive  trade.  Carbonear  is  a  thriving  town,  with  a  i)()])u- 
lation  of  five  thousand.  Other  towns  and  villages  are  Spaniards 
Bay,  Bay  Koljerts,  Cupids,  Port-de-Grave,  and  Brigus,  near 
which  gold  has  recently  been  found.  Passing  Cape  St.  Francis, 
at  the  entrance  of  Conception  Bay,  we  once  more  reach  .St. 
Jolni's,  twenty  miles  farther  south,  after  having  made  a  round 
of  tiic  island. 


THE  IXTERIOR. 


141 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  INTERIOR. 

TliL'  harvest  of  the  sea  —  Tlie  Goofjraphical  Survey  —  Vast  tracts  if  country  still 
unexplored  —  An  adventurous  traveller  —  First  iinpressionis  of  u  new  coun- 
try —  Cormack's  description  of  the  new-found  country  —  Extinction  of  the 
aboriginal  Indians  —  Abundance  of  game  —  IJeaver  and  venison  —  A  paradise 
for  tlie  sportsman  —  A  vast  gracing  country  —  A  friendly  Mountaineer  —  Tho 
island  crossed  from  east  to  west. 

The  scats  of  population,  it  will  be  noticed,  are  all  situated  on 
the  various  bays  and  harbors,  and  the  whole  of  the  inhal)itants 
are  sprinkled  round  the  sea  margin.  There  are  no  seitlcmcnts 
in  the  interior  or  at  any  distance  from  the  sea-coast.  Along  the 
roads  coimecting  the  ditfercnt  settlements  are  farm-houses  and 
cottages  at  intervals,  and  a  small  portion  of  tho  soil  is  cleared 
and  cultivated.  On  the  harvest  of  the  sea,  however,  tho  great 
bulk  of  the  people  are  dependent  for  their  subsistence.  The  sea 
is  their  bountiful  mother,  by  whom  they  are  clothed  and  fed. 
It  is  also  the  grave  of  many  of  their  kindred.  Tales  of  wreck 
and  disaster  form  no  small  part  of  the  fishermen's  talk  around 
the  winter's  hearth. 

The  geological  survey  has  now  been  going  on  for  seventeen 
years,  so  that  Newfoundland  is  no  longer  the  terra  incognita  it 
once  was.  Largo  sections  of  it  have  been  carefully  explored  I'V 
!?cientitic  men,  and  the  information  they  have  aocumiil.it (mI,  And 
which  was  long  neglected  l)eeause  buried  in  their  reports,  has 
now  been  to  some  extent  popularized  and  dilfused.  The  survey 
has  been  conducted  along  the  line  of  ill  tlu'  great  rivers  and 
lakes,  and  many  of  the  smaller;  around  the  shores  of  the  bays, 
and  among  some  of  the  island  groups.  Special  attention  has 
Iteun  given  to  the  extent  of  land  suital)le  for  cultivation,  and  to 
ihc  mineral  and  forest  wealth  of  the  country.  Invaluable  addi- 
tions to  our  knowledge  of  tho  island  have  been  made  by  the 


■■  1 

, .(, 

1 

\ 

,  1 

1 

'    i     "'■ 

}  , 


I      I' 


•<> 


"!i 


l»i  ,i 


imm 


m 


l:ri! 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


A 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


■  43 

110 


1^  m 

m 


1^  1^ 

^   us.    12.0 


1.8 


U    llllii.6 


V] 


V] 


■^>  >  :> 


^^ 


c? 


^;. 


/ 


/A 


Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY.  14580 

(716)  872-4S03 


■   I'- 


142 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


geological  survey,  and  the  iiif'onnatiou  thus  gathered  is  tlioi-- 
oughly  Irustwoi'thy. 

Still  it  is  true  that  a  vast  rxtent  of  the  interior,  at  a  distaiito 
from  the  shores,  and  from  the  great  lakes  and  rivers,  is  yet 
unexplored;  and  what  this  may  contain  of  good  soil  or  of 
mineral  treasure  has  yet  to  l)c  determined.  ]Much  is  known, 
hut  far  more  is  still  unknown.  An  adventurous  traveller,  Mr. 
Cormack,a  Scotchman,  crossed  the  island  in  1S22  (accompanied 
by  a  single  Micmac  Indian)  from  the  head  of  Trinity  Bay  in  the 
cast,  to  St.  George's  Bay  in  the  west.  He  was  a  man  of  ahility 
and  education.  The  narrative  of  his  journey  throws  nuicli  lii;lit 
on  the  condition  of  the  interior  proper.  According  to  lijs 
account  the  lirst  portion  of  his  journey  lay  through  dcnso 
forests  of  i)in{!,  spruce,  l)irch,  and  larch,  and  proved  lo  he  a 
uniform  ascent,  till  at  length  he  rejiched  the  sunnnit  of  :in 
elevated  ridge,  which  served  as  a  harrier  Uetween  the  sea  and 
the  interior.  From  this  summit  the  vast  and  mysterious 
interior,  on  which  the  eyes  of  a  white  man  had  never  heforc 
ijazed,  broke  on  the  vi(!\v  of  the  traveller  in  all  its  mairniticence. 
He  describes  the  sight  as  grand  and  almost  overi)()\veiing. 
Far  as  the  eye  could  reach  a  vast  basin  spread  out  in  a  suc- 
cession of  green  plains,  marbled  with  woods  and  lakes  of  every 
form  and  extent.  It  must  have  been  a  rapturous  momiMit  for 
the  traveller,  more  than  enough  to  repay  him  for  all  his  toils 
and  dangers,  when  his  eyes  tirst  wandered  over  this  expanse, 
untrodden  by  tlu'  foot  of  man,  now  for  the  tirst  time  disclosed 
in  its  beauty  and  sublimity  to  an  appreciative  observer,  it 
carried  the  mind  biick  to  the  ages  when  primeval  man  look 
j)ossession  of  his  fair  heritag(!  and  gazed  with  wonder  and 
worship  on  the  green  earth  and  its  glorious  canopy  of  liulit 
and  blue.  How  diU'erent  from  the  picture  which  Ignorance  and 
Prejudice  had  so  long  been  i)ainting  for  us,  on  platform-;,  in 
despatches,  and  in  newspapers  1  Instead  of  imi)assal»lo 
morasses,  grim  rocks,  stunted  woods,  scowling  deserts,  a  scene 
of  striking  beauty  and  mysterious  grandeur  met  the  eye.  'llio 
soft  breezes  came  laden  with  the  scent  of  the  wild  llowers. 
The  great  plain  Avas  alive  with  a  vast  variety  of  birds  and 
beasts,  whose  movements  gave  animation  to  the  landscape,  and 


Tin:  IXTERIOR. 


1  \:. 


whoso  tiiinonoss  showed  how  innocent  they  were  of  the  desiurns 
of  man  tlu?  hunter.  North  and  south,  in  unihdatinir  beds, 
stretched  the  vast  savannas,  hd;es,  brooks,  and  skh-tin;Lr  woods, 
oiviuir  varietv  to  the  scene.  Here  and  there,  for  niori'  than 
ten  niiU's,  a  yenow-<ri"<^cn  surface  was  spread  out  without  a 
sinirle  rock  or  shrub,  or  any  iiuMjuality  in  the  unbrokiMi  s(ei)|)e. 
The  deei»-l)eaten  deer-paths  were  s(>en,  like  a  vast  net-work, 
seainin;;  the  surface  in  all  directions.  The  courajie  of  the 
adventurous  traveller  rose,  and  a  passionate  lonjjjin<;  to  |)euetrate 
till"  unknown  land  took  possession  of  him.  "A  new  world."  he 
wrote,  "  seeme(I  to  invite  us  onward,  or  rather  we  claimed  the 
dominion  and  were  imi)atient  to  take  i)ossession.  Fancy 
carried  us  swiftly  across  the  Island.  Obstacles  of  all  kinds 
were  dispelled  and  desi)ised.  It  was  manifest  on  every  hand 
tlial  this  was  the  season  of  the  year  when  the  earth  here  oilers 
licr  stores  of  productions.  Land-berries  were  ripenini>",  irame- 
hirds  were  ilediriuii-,  and  beasts  were  emerging  to  prey  on  each 
other.  Everything  animate  and  inanimate  secm(>d  to  lie  our 
own.  There  was  no  will  but  ours.  Thoughts  of  the  aborigines 
(lid  not  alt(U"  (»ur  determination  to  meet  them,  as  well  as 
everything  living  that  might  i)resent  its(df  in  a  country  yet 
uiitrod(U'n  and  before  unseen  by  civilized  man.  I  now  adopted, 
as  well  for  self-[)reservation  as  for  the  sake  of  accomplishing 
the  object  of  my  excursion,  the  self-dei)eudent  mode  of  life  of 
the  Indian,  both  in  s[)irit  and  action." 

Descending  from  this  mountainous  belt  which  encircles  the 
const,  Cormack  entered  this  open  interior,  which  he  found  to 
he  level  plains  or  savannas,  composed  of  tine  black  compact 
l)eal-moidd,  fornu'd  by  the  growth  and  decay  of  mosses,  and 
covered  for  the  most  part  with  wiry  grass.  He  descrilx's  these 
savannas  as  being  in  reality  "  magniticent  natural  deer-parks, 
iidorni'd  bv  woods  and  water.  The  trees  hen;  sometimes  yrow 
t(»  a  considerable  size,  particularly  the  larch;  birch  is  also 
fonunoii.  The  deer-paths  are  countless,  trending  from  paik 
to  park  through  the  intervening  woods,  in  lines  as  established 
and  di'ep-l)eatcn  as  cattle-paths  on  an  old  grazing  farm.  It  is 
iini)ossihle  to  (h^scribe  the  grandeur  and  richness  of  the  scenery, 
which  will  probably  long   remain   undefuced  by  the  hand  of 


If.- 


f! 


^  ii 


•  1 


HI 

1 

I II 

1 

j  ^  ■ 

1 ' 

li 

1 

1  ' 

T 

f 

[        t 

i 

1 ..  '1 

;    1 

M 

111 


i  1 


144 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


man."     Not  a  trace  of  the  Red  Indians  was  found  on  the  whole 
route.     The  ahorighials  are  long  since  extinct. 

It  took  the  traveller  a  month  to  cross  this  savanna  country, 
which  was  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  in  breadth,  the 
length  being  miknown.  The  progress  was  slow,  as,  in  order 
to  examine  the  country,  he  did  not  follow  a  direct  course, 
while  to  find  game,  and  to  get  round  the  extremities  of  woods 
and  lakes,  he  had  frequently  to  adopt  a  circuitous  course. 
There  Avas  no  deficiency  of  game  —  deer,  beaver,  geese,  ducks, 
and  trout  from  the  ponds  and  brooks  constituted  their  food. 
Wild  berries  in  great  variety  were  in  prodigal  abundance.  (  or- 
mack  says  that  for  the  first  ten  days  after  the  stock  of  bread  lie 
carried  was  exhausted,  ho  felt  a  longing  for  it,  but  after  that 
did  not  miss  it.  The  venison  he  found  excellent,  the  fat  upon 
the  haunches  being  oiten  two  inches  in  thickness.  He  had  no 
trouble  in  supplying  himself  with  deer's  flesh.  "The  leading 
stag  of  a  herd,"  .says  C'ormack,  "is  generally  the  fattest.  He 
is  as  tall  as  a  horse,  ajid  must  sometimes  be  shot  at  full  speed, 
sometimes  by  suri)rise.  The  ball  having  })ierced  hiui  he 
bounds,  gallops,  canters,  falters,  stands,  tosses  his  antlers,  his 
sinewy  limbs  (juiver,  unwillingly  bend,  and  he  stretches  out  his 
graceful  corpse.  Should  the  ball  have  passed  through  his 
heart  he  falls  at  once,  probabl}'^  balanced  on  all-fours.  There 
is  regret  as  well  as  triumph  in  taking  possession  of  the  noble 
vancjuished."  Beavers  were  found  in  great  abundance,  also 
black  ducks,  the  finest  of  table-birds.  So  unsophisticated  were 
the  trout  from  their  being  unacquainted  with  man  that  they 
took  the  artificial  fly  merely  by  holding  out  the  line  in  the  liainl 
without  a  rod.  "  No  country  in  the  world,"  says  the  traveller, 
"can  afford  finer  sport  than  the  interior  of  this  island  in  the 
midst  of  Augu.st  and  September.  The  beasts  of  the  chase  are 
of  a  large  chiss,  and  the  cover  for  all  game  excellent."  Here  is 
a  new  and  boundless  hunting-ground  for  sportsmen  when  the 
railway  has  pierced  these  solitudes  and  rendered  this  savannii 
country,  with  its  abun(huice  of  game,  accessible. 

The  countless  deer-paths  proved  that  the  whole  of  tin? 
interior  is  amply  stocked  with  caribou,  which  migrate  to  the 
north-west  in  spring,  returning  to  the  south  on  the  approach  of 


THE  INTERIOR. 


U5 


winter.  No  such  herds  of  reindeer  fire  to  be  met  with  in  any 
part  of  continental  America.  It  is  not  uncommon  to  meet  with 
specimens  weigliing  six  and  even  seven  hundred  pounds. 
Were  these  reindeer  utilized,  as  in  Norway  and  Laphuid,  vast 
benefits  might  be  realized.  They  arc  easily  tamed  when 
young,  and  could  be  conducted  from  pasture  to  pasture,  by 
(jualitied  herdsmen.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  savanna 
soil  could  be  reclaimed  by  drainage  and  tilling,  so  as  to  yield 
green  crops, — a  process  which  has  been  carried  out  in  Scotland 
and  other  countries.  A  vast  grazing  country,  it  may  be  safely 
predicted,  will  one  day  be  found  wliere  now  these  deer 
solitudes  extend.  The  climate  is  far  superior  to  that  of  th(^ 
regions  along  the  eastern  shores.  Fogs  are  rare,  and  the 
summer  warmth  is  delightful.  During  the  two  months  he 
spent  ia  the  interior,  Cormack  mentions  that  there  were  l)ut 
eight  rainy  days,  four  foggy,  and  forty-one  bright  days.  The 
prevailing  wands  were  westerly;  frosts  did  not  set  in  till  the 
second  week  of  October. 

When  near  the  centre  of  the  island,  one  hundred  and  twenty 
miles  inland  from  the  head  of  Trinity  liay,  and  after  crossing 
about  ninety  miles  of  the  savanna  country,  Cormack  and  his 
Indian  were  fortunate  enough  to  meet,  in  those  solitudes,  with 
a  mountaineer  Indian,  from  Labrador,  who  was  out  on  a  hunting 
excursion.  The  mountaiwcer,  who  was  accompanied  by  his  wife 
only,  had  erected  his  wigwam  on  a  small  island  in  a  lak(>,  nine 
miles  in  length,  called  by  the  Indians  Crooked  Lake,  but  which 
Cormack  named  Jameson  Lake,  after  Professor  Jameson,  of 
Kdinburgh.  Observing,  to  his  great  delight,  a  slender  white 
I'ohnnn  of  smoke  on  this  island,  an  indication  of  hiunan  beings, 
Cormack  tired  his  gun,  and  prescMitly  another  gun  was  heard  in 
reply.  "Soon  afterwards,"  .says  Cormack,  "to  my  great  delight , 
tliere  appeared  among  some  woody  islets  in  front,  which  pre- 
ebided  the  view  of  the  other  side  of  the  lake,  a  small  canoe 
with  a  man  seated  in  the  stern,  paddling  softly  toward  us,  with 
nil  air  of  serenity  and  indei)endence  possessed  oidy  by  the  Indian. 
Altera  brotherly  salutation  with  me,  and  the  two  Indians  kissing 
each  other,  the  hunter  proved  to  l>c  unable  to  speak  English  or 
French.     Thoy,  however,  soon  understood  one  another,  for  the 


f    ■■  i 


Ik;     ' 


:i 


I 

! 

:    ( 


140 


XE  WFO  UNDLA  Nl). 


tt 


slriiiiL'iT,  iilthoiiirli  !i  inountaiiioor  from  Labrador,  could  spcnk 
a  littlo  of  tlio  Micniac  laniruaire,  his  wifii  bciiiir  a  Micmac.  This 
was  his  second  year  iti  Newfoundland,  his  only  companion  hcinir 
his  wife.  He  invited  us  over  with  him  in  his  canoe,  to  rest  :i 
day  at  his  camp  (where,  he  said,  he  had  plenty  of  venisonj 
wjiich  was  readily  airreed  to  on  my  part. 

"The  island  on  which  the  mountaineer'.s  camp  Avas  lay  aliout 
three  miles  distant.  The  varvinir  scenerv,  as  we  i)a(l(ll(<l 
towards  it,  amoiiirst  innui'erahle  islands  and  islets,  all  of 
irranite,  and  mostly  covered  with  spru"e  and  birch  trees,  w:is 
beautiful.  His  canoe  was  similar  to  those  described  to  have 
been  used  by  the  ancient  IJritons,  on  the  invasion  by  the 
Kojnans.  It  was  made  of  wicker-work,  covered  over  outside 
with  deer->kins  sewed  toirother  and  stretched  on  it.  nearly  of 
the  usual  form  of  canoes,  with  a  bar  or  beam  across  the  middle, 
and  one  on  each  end  to  strenirthen  it.  The  skin  covering,  llc-li 
side  out,  was  fastened  or  laced  to  the  gunwales,  with  thongs  of 
the  same  material.  Owing  to  decay  and  wear,  it  re(juires  to  be 
renewed  once  in  from  six  to  twelve  weeks.  It  is  in  those  tciii- 
})()rary  barks  that  the  Indians  of  Newfoundland  of  the  ])rcs(iit 
(lay  navigate  the  lakes  and  rivers  of  the  interior.  They  an' 
easily  carried,  owing  to  their  lightness,  across  the  ])ortages, 
from  one  water  to  another,  and,  when  damaged,  easily  repiiind. 

"His  wiijwam  was  situated  in  the  centre  of  a  wooded  islet.  ;it 
which  we  arrived  before  sunset.  The  apj)roach  from  the  land- 
ing-place was  by  a  mossy  carpeted  avemu\  formed  b}-  the  ti'ees 
having  been  cut  down  in  that  direction  for  tirewood.  The  sight 
of  a  tire  not  of  our  own  kitidling,  of  which  we  were  to  i)artake. 
se<Mned  hos))itality.  It  was  occupied  by  his  wife,  seated  on  a 
deer-skin,  busy  sewing  together  skins  of  the  same  kind  to  renew 
the  outside  of  the  canoe  which  we  had  found  re([uii'ed  it.  A 
large  Xewfoundland  dog,  her  only  comi)anion  in  her  husband's 
absence,  had  wcdcomed  us  at  the  landing-place  with  signs  of  the 
jrreiitest  iov.  Svlvan  happiness  reiurned  here.  His  wiijfw.iiii 
was  of  a  semicircular  form,  covered  with  birch-rind  and  dried 
deer-skins,  the  (ire  on  the  foreground  outside.  Abundance  ami 
neatness  jxM'vaded  the  encampment.  0\\  horizontal  poles  o\i  r 
the  Hrc  hung  (juantities  of  venison  steaks,  being  smoko-drietl. 


IP 


THE  IXTERIOR. 


147 


Tlio  hostess  was  clicerful,  aiul  a  siip{)(>r,  the  host  the  chase 
could  furnish,  was  soon  set  Ix'fore  us  on  sheets  of  hirch-rind. 
Thev  told  me  '  to  make  their  cami)  mv  own,  and  use  evervthini; 
in  it  as  such.'  Kindness  so  elegantly  tendiuvd  1)}'  these  })eoj)le 
of  Nature,  in  their  solitude,  conmienced  to  soften  those  feelings 
which  had  heen  fortilied  airainst  receiviuir  anv  comfort  except 
tiiat  of  my  own  administering.  The  excellence  of  the  venison 
and  of  young  beavers  could  not  he  surpassed.  A  cake  of  hard 
deer's  fat,  with  scraps  of  suet  toasted  brown  intermixed,  was 
eaten  with  the  meat ;  soup  was  the  drink.  Our  hostess,  after 
supi)(M*,  sang  several  Indian  songs  at  my  recjuest.  They  were 
plaintive  and  sung  in  a  high  key.  The  song  of  a  female,  and 
her  contentment  in  this  remote  and  secluded  spot,  exhil)itcd  the 
wonderful  diversity  there  is  in  human  natiu'c.  My  Indian  enter- 
tained them  incessantly  until  nearly  daylight  with  stories  aI)out 
what  he  had  seen  in  St.  John's.  Our  toils  wen;  for  the  time  for- 
gotten. The  mountaineer  had  occui)ied  his  camp  for  about  two 
weeks  :  deer  being  very  plentiful  all  around  the  lake.  His  larder, 
which  was  a  kind  of  shed  erected  on  the  rock}'  shore  for  the  sake 
of. I  free  circulation  of  air,  was,  in  reality,  a  well-stocked  Itutcher's 
stall  containing  parts  of  some  half-dozen  fat  deer,  also  the  car- 
casses of  beavers,  of  otters,  of  nuisk-rats,  and  of  mai'tens,  all 
methodically  laid  out.  His  j)roperty  consisted  of  two  guns  and 
ainmunition,  an  axe,  some  good  (adinary  utensils  of  iron  and 
till.  I»laidcets,  an  apartment  of  dried  <leer-skins  to  sleep  on,  and 
wiih  which  to  cover  his  wigwam,  the  latter  with  the  hair  olf ;  a 
collection  of  skiris  to  sell  at  the  si>a-coast.  consisting  of  those  of 
he.iver,  otter,  marten,  nmsk-rat  and  deer  —  the  last  dried  and 
tlie  hair  otf ;  also  a  stock  of  dried  venison  in  bundles.  Animal 
llesh  of  every  kind,  in  steaks,  without  salt,  smoke-dried  on  the 
tire  for  forty-eight  hours,  becomes  nearly  as  light  and  ])orta- 
l<le  as  cork,  and  will  keep  sound  for  years.  It  thus  t'ornis  a 
good  substitute  for  l)read,  and,  by  being  boiled  two  hours, 
recovers  most  of  its  original  (pialities. 

"  We  left  the  veteran  mountaineer,  .lames  dohn  by  nanus 
inueh  [)leased  with  our  having  fallen  in  with  him.  He  landi>d 
us  from  his  cunoo  on  the  south  shore  of  the  lake,  and  we  took 


W 


'A 


I 


i 


148 


NE  WFO  UXDLAXD. 


our  departure  for  the  west  coast  along  the  south  side.     Truly 
could  this  man  proclaim  : 

"  I'm  monarch  of  all  I  survey; 

My  right  there  is  none  to  dispute ; 
From  the  centre  all  round  to  the  sea 
I'm  lord  of  the  fowl  and  tiie  brute." 

One  more  feature  of  the  interior,  as  described  ])y  Connack, 
deserves  notice.  After  nearly  a  month's  travel  over  the  savanna 
country,  the  traveller  reached  a  hilly  ridge  to  the  westward, 
which  he  named  Jameson's  INIountains.  This  ridge  proved  to 
be  a  serpentine  dei)oslt,  including  a  variety  of  rocks,  all  lying 
in  nearly  vertical  strata  alternating.  "  The  mincralogical  a[)- 
pearances,"  sa^'s  Corniack,  "  were  altogether  so  singular  that  I 
rc-olvcd  to  stop  a  day  or  two  to  examine  them.  All  the 
highest  parts  of  the  ridge  were  formed  of  this  metalline  rock. 
and  were  extremely  sterile.  The  other  rocks  were  noble  ser- 
pentine, var^'ing  in  color  from  a  black-green  to  a  yellow,  and 
from  translucent  to  semi-transparent,  in  strata  nearly  a  yard 
wide ;  steatite,  or  soapstone ;  verde  antique ;  diallage ;  and 
various  other  magnesian  rocks.  Sterile  red  earthy  patches, 
entirelv  destitute  of  veijetation,  were  here  and  there  on  inul 
adjacent  to  the  ridge ;  and  on  these  lay  heaps  of  loose  iVair- 
ments  of  asbestos,  roekwood,  rockhorn,  and  stones,  light  in 
the  hand,  resembling  burnt  clay,  cum  multis  (diis,  the  whole 
having  the  appearance  of  heaps  ot  rubbish  from  a  pottery,  l»ut 
evidently  detached  from  adjacent  strata  and  veins.  I  could  not 
divest  myself  of  the  feeling  that  we  were  in  the  vicinity  of  an' 
extinct  volcano." 

This  range  is  about  twelve  hundred  feet  above  the  Icvid  of 
the  sea.  The  serpentine  deposits  of  which  they  are  formed 
separate  the  low  slate  country,  covered  with  savannas,  tlironi;h 
which  the  granitic  rocks  occasionally  peep  in  the  east,  iVoni  a 
high  granitic  country  that  appears  in  the  west.  This  spread 
of  seri)entine,  which  Cormack  describes,  is  highly  important. 
because  it  is  in  this  formation  that  copper  ore  is  found  in  tiii- 
island,  and  wherever  it  comes  to  the  surface  copper  ore  may  he 
looked    for   with  a    probability  of  success.      This  seri)entiiie, 


TUE  INTERIOR. 


149 


therefore,  in  the  centre  of  the  island,  which  occurs  again  in  Ray 
of  Ishinds  and  Bonne  Bay,  may  on  examination  l)e  found 
metalliferous;  and  corroborates  the  opinion  that  the  serpontine 
rocks  from  Notre  Dame  Bay  run  across  the  island,  coming  to 
the  surface  at  intervals,  the  strike  being  south-westerly. 

After  crossing  the  granitic  country  at  the  west  the  daring 
traveller  with  great  difficulty,  and  amid  many  i)erils  and  hanl- 
?.hips,  reached  St.  George's  Bay,  both  he  and  the  Indian  Ix'ing 
in  the  last  stage  of  exhaustion.  Ilis  l)old  achievement  of 
crossing  the  island  from  east  to  west  at  its  broadest  part,  with 
only  his  gun  to  depend  on,  has  never  been  repeated  since.  To 
him  we  are  indebted  for  all  we  know  refjardinj?  the  central 
interior.  His  journey  from  Trinity  Bay  to  St.  George's  Bay 
occupied  a  little  over  two  months.  Ills  success,  he  says,  was 
in  pail  owing  to  the  smallncss  of  his  party.  "Many  together 
could  not  so  easily  have  sustained  themselves.  The  toil  and 
privations  were  such  that  hired  men  or  followers  of  any  class 
would  not  have  endured  them." 


TT      «(. 


.K;  i 


l'»  :m 


'if'.,: 


i! 


^ 


150 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


CHAPTER    V 


GKOLOGV. 


JukoH,  L()f,'an,  and  Murray  —  Ei;ihti>oii  years  of  survoyin^  —  Coal  (K'ii()>:its — 
"Till'  CiiK'bi'c  uroup" — TIk-  firi'at  nncu'iit  rook  sy.stcms  ri'iircsviitcil  in 
Nc'wfoitiiiUand  —  More  than  half  the  islivml  foiinil  to  l)e  Laurentiaii,  ami  \\w 
liiirhest  series  of  rocks  carboniferous  —  (Jeolo^^ical  deinonstrations  of  tin- 
caiiatity  of  the  country  to  sustain  a  large  population. 

TiiK  lato  J.  B.  Jiikos,  wlio  was  for  many  years  at  the  head 
of  the  Irish  j^cological  survey,  was  the  first  scientist  who  \v;i> 
enii)h)ye(l  to  exainiiu;  the  f;coh)<;ic'al  structure  of  the  islaml. 
AVhen  a  yoinig  man  he  s|)ent  the  year  1840  in  ex[)h)riiiir  tjie 
coimtry,  havinii  l»een  eniraired  l>y  tlu;  jrovernment  lor  ihat 
})ur[)ose.  In  sin'h  a  short  time,  and  havinuj  jxreat  disadvanlauis 
to  contend    with,  he  could  accomplish  hut  little.     His  work. 


however,  was  far  from  heiuir  fruitle; 


He  puhlished,  in  two 


volui 


ne 


tU    account    of    hi.> 


CXI 


ilorat 


ions,    w 


.hich 


luiililv 


interest  inic  in  many  respects,  and  thouirh  the  result  of  a  short  and 
superficial  siu'vey.  and  its  information  imperfect  and  fre(|ucMtly 
erroneous,  it  can  still  he  read  with  pleasm-e  and  profit.  Mr. 
Jukes's  work  had  the  elTcct  of  drawing  attention  to  ihe  islaml, 
and  proved  to  be  the  prclimintu-y  ste[)  to  a  thorough  geological 
survev  at  a  later  date. 

In  the  year  1S(;4  the  govermnent  of  Newfoundland  took  up 
the  suhjcct  of  a  survc}'  of  the  island,  and  opened  a  correspoiul- 
ence  with  Sir  William  Logan,  who  had  been  long  engaged  on 
the  li'eoiouical  survev  of  Canada.  The  result  was  the  appuiiil- 
ment  of  Mr.  Alexander  Murray,  C.M.(f.,  F.G.S.,  to  take 
charge  of  tlu>  im|)ortant  work.  He  had  been  for  twcntv  vcar> 
a  colleague  of  Sir  William  Logan  in  the  Canadian  survey,  and 
was  stronuly  reconunench'd  by  him  as  an  able  and  experienced 
geologist.  The  result  has  amply  justified  the  high  opinion  Sir 
William  had  formed  of  his  qualifications.     Mr.  Murray  has  now 


GEOLOGY. 


\')\ 


jjpent  eighteen  years  in  the  work,  aided,  during  the  hist  <h)/.en 
years,  hy  Mr.  James  Ilouley.  He  lias  ijroseeuted  the  suryey 
with  unremitting  zeal  and  energy  ;  and  to  him  >ye  are  mainly 
indebted  tor  that  reliabU;  information  regarding  the  agrieuhural 
and  mineral  resourees,  and  the  forest  wealth  of  tin;  island 
which  has  entirely  reyolutioni/ed  peojjle's  views  on  these  points, 
and  is  now  leading  to  enterprise  and  the  application  of  eajjital 
with  a  view  to  tlu;  colonization  of  the  country  and  the  deyelop- 
uient  of  its  great  natui'al  capabilities,  Mr.  Murray's  reports 
liiive  been  colh^ctcd  and  reprinted  in  a  handsome  volume,'  and 
those  who  wish  to  obtain  accurate  information  regarding  the 
geology  of  the  island  and  its  character  as  a  lield  for  colonization, 
will  lind  iu  this  I)ook  the  results  of  patient  scientitic  observations 
extending  over  many  years.  AVe  are  indebted  to  his  work  for 
the  t'oUowing  sketch  of  the  geology  of  the  island.  For  ol)yious 
reasons  minute  scientitic  details  are  avoided,  and  only  the 
general  outlines  are  indicated. 

.V  geological  survey  is  something  more  than  a  purely  scientitic 
study  of  the  various  formations  of  a  country.  It  has  a  [)racti('al 
Itearing,  and  is  (h'signe(l  to  throw  light  on  its  economics,  jukI 
to  determine  whether  beneath  its  surface  mineral  treasures,  coal, 
marble,  gypsum,  or  otluir  materials  of  vahu;  may  be  searched 
for  with  a  probability  of  success,  and  in  what  (juarters.  Jt  al^o 
takes  co<rnizanco  of  the  extent  and  character  of  its  airricullural 
lands  and  its  forest  wealth.  The  bearing  of  geology  on  these, 
and  its  value  in  determining  them,  are  now  so  well  established 
that  the  governments  of  all  civili/i'd  countries  are  engaged  in 
carrying  out  geological  surveys,  as  the  best  means  of  promoting 
the  deveh)pment  of  their  natural  resources. 

When  the  survey  of  X(Mvfoundland  was  initliited  under  Mr. 
^Iiu-ray,  Sir  William  Logan  pointed  out  two  things  that  wen^ 
to  be  specially  kei)t  in  view.  One  of  these  was  to  determine 
whether  a  continuation  of  tlu^  rich  coal  dejjosits  of  Sydney,  in 
the  Island  of  Capo  Breton,  might  be  searched  for  in  the 
carboniferous  areas  of  Newfoundland,  along  the  shores  ojjposite 
the  coal-bearing  strata  of  Cape  Breton,  with  si  probability  of 


' "  Geological  survey  of  Newfoundland."    By  Alexander  Murray,  C.M.U.    Loudon  : 
]•:.  Stiiutbrd.    1881. 


», 


[V 


i  t 


I  ; 


:, 


Ik 


152 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


1. 


success.  As  there  wa.s  a  general  analogy  in  the  character  oi" 
the  measures  on  the  opposite  sides  of  the  water  dividing  tlicin. 
it  was  for  geologists  to  determine  whether  the  attitude  of  the 
strata  in  Newfoundland  warranted  the  expectation  of  linding 
there  coal-heds  that  would  be  available  for  commerce.  To  wli.il 
extent  this  has  been  determined  we  shall  see  when  the  mineral 
resources  of  the  island  come  to  be  described.  The  other 
important  point  to  be  kept  in  view  was  to  determine  to  what 
extent  the  metalliferous  zone  of  North  America  was  developed 
in  Newfoundland.  This  is  called  in  Canadian  geoloirv  the 
Qucl)ec  group,  its  middle  division,  the  Lauzon  group,  being  rich 
in  metalliferous  dei)osits  all  over  North  America.  It  was, 
therefore,  of  primary  importance,  to  find  whether  there  was  a 
spread  of  this  formation  in  Newfoundland  and  to  what  extent, 
as  its  importance  as  a  mining  region  would  depend  on  this. 
The  seri)entine  in  which  opper  ore  has  been  found  at  Tilt  Cove, 
Bctt's  Cove,  and  other  localities,  belongs  to  the  Lauzon 
division  of  the  Quel)ec  uroup,  so  that  an  examination  of  it 
becomes  of  the  lirst  imp  )rtance  in  determining  where  minerals 
may  be  looked  for  with  a  hope  of  success.  "  The  scattered 
facts  already  known,"  said  Sir  William  Logan  in  1800,  "  pre[)are 
us  to  expect  a  great  development  of  the  metalliferous  division 
of  the  group  in  the  southern  as  well  as  in  the  northern  portion 
of  the  island  ;  convincing  me  that  a  thorouurh  knowledire  ol  a 
great  portion  of  the  mineral  wealth  of  the  province  will  he 
gn^atly  |)romoted  by  a  careful  and  connected  exploration  and 
study  of  the  Lower  Silurian  series."  We  shall  see  that  the 
hope  thus  ex})ressed  has  been  largely  realized  in  the  carrying 
out  of  the  survey.  It  seems  highly  probable  that  there  are  vast 
tracts  on  both  the  sides,  and  also  in  the  centre  of  the  island. 
which  contain  ores  of  great  value  and  importance,  chietly 
copi)er,  nickel,  lead,  iron,  while  in  several  localities  indications 
of  gold  and  silver  have  been  found. 

All  the  great  ancient  rock  systems  between  the  Lowci' 
Laurentian  and  the  Coal  measures  are  more  or  less  represeiitiil 
at  one  part  or  another  of  the  island. 

According  to   Mr.    ^Murray   the    following   column    is    the 


GEOLOGY. 


1  •>*> 


desc-eiuliiii;    order    of    the    different    .scries    tluit    have    l)een 


vcc'oiiiiized :  — 

Carhoiiiferoiiti : 

Coal  measures. 

Millstone  grit. 

Carboniferous  limestone,  Gypsum,    Conglomerate. 

Devonian : 

Gaspe  sandstones,  etc. 

Middle  Silurian: 
Clinton. 
Medina. 

Loicer  Silurian: 

(Trenton  group.) 
Hudson  River. 
Utica. 
Trenton. 
Bird's-eye  and  Black  llivjcr. 

(Quebec  group.) 
Serpentines,  Chlorite  slates,  Diorites,  etc. 
Sillery  sandstone. 
Levis. 
Calciforous. 
Potsdam. 
Primordial. 

Iluronian: 

lluronian. 

Laurentian: 

Upper  and  Lower  Laurentian. 

The  Laurentian  system  has  an  immense  spread  in  the  island. 
It  constitutes  the  principal  mountain  ranges,  coming  to  the 
surface  through  the  more  recent  deposits,  on  the  axes  of 
anticlinal  limes,  or  brought  up  l)y  great  dislocations,  mo.st  of 


i 


:    j: 


i    w 


lo4 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


wliifh  trend  nearly  pariillcl  with  each  other  in  ji  general  hcaiim 
of  ahout  N.X.E.  and  S.S.AV.     The  Lanrentian  gneiss  of  the 


:i  a 


Lonjj^  llange,  on  the  western  .side  of  tlu^  island,  extend- 
nearly  straight  eonrse  from  ('ai)e  Kay  to  the  head-waters  of  ih,- 
(astor  on  the  gn^at  northern  peninsnla.  On  the  sonth-wot 
extremity  of  the  island  these  roeUs  oeenjn'  the  eoast  i'rom  (  aiu" 
Ivay  to  La  Poile.  They  are  largely  exhibited  on  the  (iraiid 
Lake,  miming  in  a  ^[)ur  from  the  Long  Range,  between  it  jiiid 
the  Ked  Indian  Lake,  and  hearing  for  the  sonth-easteni  ^Ikuc-; 
of  Hall's  liay.  IMie  eentral  [jorlion  of  the  northern  |)eii;ii-iila 
is  Lanrentian,  whieh  also  s[)reads  over  a  wide  ex})anse  of  eouni  in- 
between  Grand  Lake  and  the  Ilumber  and  l<]x[)loils  Rivers.  mihI 
shows  itself  on  the  coas*^  between  Canada  Uay  and  AN'hitc  IViy. 
Another  range  of  Lanrentian  eomes  np  in  the  distriet  of  I'l  rry- 
land,  and  shows  itself  oeeasionallv  on  the  eoast  betw-ca 
Ilolyrood  and  Manntjl'.-  River  in  C"onee[)tion  Bay.  Thu>  more 
than  half  of  the  island  is  Lanrentian. 

Three-fonrths  of  the  peninsnla  of  Avalon  are  Iluroiiiaii 
(e(piivalent  to  the  Cambria!,  of  Kiiglish  geologists),  a  fonniition 
whieh  does  not  extend  west  of  l'\)rtnne  Uay.  The  Ilnmiiiaii 
here  consists  of  a  set  of  slates  with  conglomerate  baii(l>, 
diorites,  (]nart/ites,  and  alternating  grt-en  and  reddish  hard 
silieions  and  clay  slates,  snrmonn'.ed  by  a  great  mass  of  tli 
bedded  green  and  re(l  sandstones,  the  lattiu"  passing  int 
moderately  coarse  conglomerate,  uitli  many  jjebbles  ol'  v^^A 
jas[)er  at  the  top.  Thes(>  are  tlu^  "  Lower  Slates"'  and  "  Si;:iial 
Hill  sandstones"  of  .Inkes.  The\  oeenpy  bv  far  the  mcatci 
portion  of  the  whole  peninsnla  of  Avalon.  "The  town  (tt'St. 
John's,  and  in  fact  nearly  all  the  settlements  between  Foi'tiiiic 
]5ay  on  the  sonth  and  lionaN  ista  Hay  on  the  east,  are  bnilt  ujioii 
this  formation."  Signal  Hill,  overlooking  the  harbor  of  Si. 
John's,  is  capped  with  the  sandstone  of  the  llnronian  formation, 
which  is  largtdy  nsed  for  building  purposes.  Veins  of  wliite 
(juart/  are  abundant,  and  in  many  instances  ar(>  impregnated 
with  ores  of  eop[)er,  lead,  or  iron;  but,  with  th(>  (>xcei)lioii  of 
the  lead  ore,  these  ha\e  not  hitluM'to  given  nmch  [)romise  of 
economic    importance.      Still   it    is  (juitc;   jjossible 


e\- 


o   a 


that 


a  more 


extended  research  may  lind  deposits  of  minerals  of  great  \aliu) 


GEOLOGY. 


155 


ill  these  rocks.  The  whole  Iluronian  system  is  not  loss  than 
ten  thousiuid  foot  thick,  juid  has  heiMi  cut  thromjli  by  (Icnuda- 
tion  to  the  Laurentian  tloor  upon  which  it  has  been  l)i'i'^.  The 
rocks  of  the  Primordial  Silurian  a^re  are  spread  unconlormaMy 


own" 


the 


urea 


th 


us    urounti 


1   d. 


)\vn. 


These     evidences     of 


(IcMudation  and  reconstruction  an;  very  clear  in  Conce[>ti(tn  l>ay, 
where  the  rocks  of  the  iiitcrmediarv  svstem  have  ix'cn  uround 
down  to  the  Laurentian  ;j:neiss,  and  sulise(|uently  the  suhniariiu; 
Viilley  thus  formed  has  been  tilled  up  with  a  new  set  of  sedi- 
ments, the  remains  of  which  are  still  to  be  found  skirt inj;  the 
shores  of  the  bay  and  forminii:  the  islands  in  its  midst. 

Kei^ardinji^  the  spread  of  rocks  of  the  Silurian  age  the  most 
extensive  is  on  the  })eninsula  of  Cape  St.  Mary's,  on  tlie  west 
side,  and  around  the  head  of  Trinity  Bay.  These;  bidonii'  to  the 
Piiniordiai  Silurian  grou[).  The  same  rocks  eomc;  out  on  some 
of  the  headlands  of  Conception  Hay  and  form  the  islands  of  that 
bay.  The  lower  Silurian  rocks  have  a  lari^e  development,  and 
it  is  in  these  that  the  nu^tallic  ores  (x'cur  which  seem  destinetl  to 
render  the  island  a  great  mining  centre,  'i'his  formation  is 
largely  devi!lo[)e(l  on  the  western  side  of  the  ishmd,  the;  great 
northern  peninsula,  the  i)eninsula  of  Port-a-1'ort,  and  other 
regions.  'J'he  Lauzon  division  of  the  (^luibcn;  group,  wliich  is 
the  true  metallilerous  /.cwv  of  North  .Anierlea,  has  an  ;:nmenso 
sjiread  in  the  island.  Mr.  llowh'V,  assistant  geologist,  says 
of  this  formation  :  "  It  comes  in  at  Ululf  Head,  on  the  east  side 
of  I'ort-a-1'ort  l)ay,an(l  has  a  considerable  extent  between  tiiere 
and  the   I  lumber  Arm,   Bay  of  I.--l;uids.      TIk?  entire   western 


oast  from  this  b; 


ly  to  its  \\i 


)rthern   limit,   the   whole  of  the 


MDi'tli  coast  and  the  casteu'ii  coast  of  tiie  northern  poninsala.  as 
l';u' south  as  Canada  Bay,  is  occupied  by  tiie  sami;  series,  ihc! 
L;ui/.on  elivision  Ixiing  well  dis[)layeil  in  many  parls  of  their 
distribution,  espo^'ially  lu'ar  Ilonne  Biy,  Pisiolet  Bay,  and  at 
the  lu'ad  of  Hare  Bay.  A  small  portion  of  tlu;  series  i-omes  in 
oil  the  west  side  of  White  Bay,  in  Bay  \'ert,  around  the  shores 
(if  Xotrc;  Dame  Bay,  and  in  many  of  the  islands  of  that  bay; 
the  Laiizou  division,  in  partie'ular,  is  very  largely  displayed 
lit  re.  Rocks  having  all  the  characteristics  of  this  latter  division 
Were   reco^fuized  on   the  (iande  •  Lake   in  iirreat    volume,  and 


.1 


156 


NE  WFOUXDLAND. 


agiii.i  on  the  head  of  the  Bay  East  River;  ai)d  there  is  reason 
to  believe  they  occupy  the  most  of  the  intervening  country 
hetween  these  two  latter  localities.  The  Lauzon  division  of  the 
Quebec  group,  consisting  of  serpentine  rocks  associated  uith 
dolomites,  diorites,  etc.,  is  well  known  throughout  Xoitli 
America  to  be  usually  more  or  less  metalliferous,  and  in  this 
res[)ect  the  Xewfoundland  rocks  are  no  exception,  but,  on  the 
contrary,  give  evidence  of  being  rich  in  metallic  onis.  Ileiicc 
it  is  only  reasonable  to  infer  the  pro1)ability  that  many  parts  of 
the  island  are  destined  to  become  important  mining  centres." 

The  middle  Silurian  division  of  rocks  is  also  widely  spread ; 
and  the  most  fertile  belts  of  land  and  the  most  valuable 
forests  are  nearly  all  situated  on  the  country  occupied  by  this 
formation.  The  great  valley  of  tin;  Exploits  and  Victoria 
Rivers,  the  valley  of  the  Gander,  the  country  around  Gander 
Lake,  and  several  smaller  tracts,  belong  to  the  Middle  Silurian 
formation. 

The  carboniferous  series,  in  which  the  coal-beds  are  to  ho 
found,  occuj)ies  a  large  area  on  the  western  side  of  the  island, 
in  the  neighborhood  of  St.  George's  Bay  and  Grand  Lake. 
Tluu'e  is  a  section  of  the  carboniferous  strata  between  Cape 
Anguille  and  the  Little  Codroy  River  of  about  three  thousiuid 
feet  in  thickness ;  but  it  belongs  to  the  lower  and  middle  i)urt 
of  the  series,  and  contains  no  workable  seams  of  coal.  \\\\i 
higher  measures,  containing  several  workable  coal-seams, 
whose  extent  is  not  yet  determined,  occupy  all  the  country  on 
the  south-east  side  of  St.  George's  Bay,  between  the  Long 
Range  Mountains  and  the  sea,  "extending  in  its  line  of  strike 
from  the  mouths  of  the  Codroy  Rivers  to  Flat  Bay."  This  is 
the  true  coal  area  of  the  island,  and  the  results  of  explorations 
here  will  be  described  in  the  chapter  on  the  mineral  resouires 
of  the  island.  On  the  north  side  of  St.  George's  Bay  there  are 
two  smaller  troughs  of  the  Carboniferous  rocks.  A  mui-h  wider 
spread  of  the  same  series  occurs  along  the  valley  of  the  lluniher 
River,  around  the  shores  of  Deer  Lake,  the  eastern  half  of 
Grand  Lake,  and  as  far  as  Sandy  Lake.  "Coal,"  says  Mr. 
Howley,  "  is  known  to  exist  at  several  places  in  this  seri(>s ; 
and  seams  apparently  of  workable  thickness,  judging  from  t!io 


ifi 


GEOLOGY. 


157 


outcrops,  occur  on  the  ^Middle  Burachois,  and  Kol)ins()n's 
Brooks,  in  St.  George's  Bay.  It  may  also  he  reasonaI)Iy  ex- 
pected in  some  parts  of  the  Ilunihor  River  trough.  The  best 
land  and  the  tinest  part  of  the  country  will  be  found  supported 
bv  the  rocks  of  the  Carboniferous  aw." 

It  will  thus  l)c  seen,  from  the  geological  record,  that  the 
highest  series  of  rocks  in  the  island  is  the  Carboniferous,  and 
tiiat  this  is  contined  to  the  western  side ;  while  the  middle, 
eastern,  and  southern  portions  are  occupied  by  Silurian, 
Iluronian,  and  Laurentian  formations.  On  this  point  Mr. 
^lurray  remarks  :  "  It  would  appear  that  while  the  ancient 
Laurentian  continent  was  long  submerged  on  the  eastern  side 
of  the  island,  on  which  the  intermediate  system  was  deposited, 
it  was  not  until  towards  the  Primordial,  or  perhaps  the  Potsdam 
epoch,  that  it  began  to  subside  on  the  western  side ;  and  these 
subsidences  must  have  continued,  with  many  intermediate 
oscillations  and  interruptions,  until  a  comparatively  late  date  in 
the  CarI)oniferous  era." 

The  geological  structure  of  Xowfoundland,  as  shown  in  the 
foregoing  brief  sketch,  presents  us  with  a  country  admirably 
adapted  to  sustain  a  large  population  engaged  in  a  great 
variety  of  pursuits.  The  encompassing  seas  contain  the  largest 
and  best  fishing-banks  in  the  world,  abounding  in  cod, 
herring,  etc.  ;  in  the  rivers  and  estuaries  salmon  and 
herring  fisheries  are  carried  on  with  success.  These  fisheries 
an;  now  the  principal  means  of  su[)port  for  the  present  popula- 
tion of  Newfoundland,  amounting  to  about  185,000.  Hut  the 
character  of  the  island,  geologically,  shows  that  it  is  fitted  to 
sustain  a  very  largo  agricidtural  population ;  that  many 
thousands  might  bo  employed  in  lumbering  and  ship-building; 
and  that  its  undeveloped  mineral  wealth  is  such  that  a  vast 
number  will  probably  one  day  be  employed  in  working  its 
mines. 

In  connection  with  the  geology  of  the  country  it  may  be 
nu'Mlion(>d  that  a  great  dislocation,  or  fault,  has  been  found, 
ruiuiiug  in  nearly  a  straight  lino  from  near  Capo  Kay  to  White 
Bay. 


t' 


•  \- 


H  " 


!"     !i 


'I 


:l       •! 


158 


NE  WFO  UN D  LAND. 


CHAPTER    VI. 


CLIMATE. 

Poiiiilar  fictions  —The  Gulf  Stream  and  tht-  Arctic  current  —  Fuss  almost 
unknown  in  the  interior  —  Compared  with  Canada  and  the  United  States  — 
Mete<)roloi,'ieal  observations  —  Averajje  temperature  and  rainfall  —  ■•  A 
silver  thaw"  —  The  robustness  of  tiie  people  quoted  by  authorities  in  favnr 
of  till'  climate. 

Ei!I!Om:oi:s  idoiis  rcixtirdi'isx  tho  cUmate  of  NcwfoiindlMiid 
liavc  IxHMi  (initc  as  prevalent  as  the  delusions  in  reference  to 
its  soil.  These  mistakes  are  not  dilleidt  to  siceount  foi .  The 
climate  of  the  lianks  of  Newfoundland,  a  himdred  miles  distant 
from  the  shore,  and  of  the  southern  and  south-eastern  seal)()anl 
whieli  are  all'eeted  by  the  .sea  fogs,  litis  been  tid\en  by  voyji<>ei's 
or  etisuid  visitors  sis  indicative  of  tlu;  climate  of  the  wiiolc 
island.  Ilenco  it  has  been  concluded  thiit  the  coimtrv  is 
eiweloped  in  almost  perpetutil  fojjs  in  smnmer ;  tuid,  on  tlu' 
other  hiuid,  tin  impression  litis  i^rown  up  tluit  it  is  iriven  over 


to  intense    cold  tmd   a  sucetvssion    of  snow-storms  in    wint 


er, 


The  Arctic  current,  rushiiiijf  out  of  Dtivis  Straits,  washes  the 


etislern  shores  of  Newfoundltind,  and 


in    sprin<T^  betirs    on  its 


l)osom  those  icc-tields  and  iceber<xs  which  obstruct  luiviiiators 
cvossinuj  the  North  Atliintic.  This  current  has  a  chillinii,-  elVcct 
on  the  climtite  of  the  etistern  cotist,  tind  fnviuently  rettirds  the 
iidvent  of  s|)rinLr.  Meetini>'  in  its  southerly  course  the  waiiu 
waters  of  the  (lulf  Strciim  the  Arctic  current  mi.xes  with  the 


ated 


river  m 


tl 


le    ocefin 


tint 


I   tl 


lus   enormous  masse 


vai)or  are  ti'c'iierated.  This  is  the  cause  of  the  fojxs  whicli  in 
summer  fre(|uently  overhanir  the  btinks  where  this  "meetinir  et' 
the  Witters"  oct  irs.  When  southerly,  or  south-eiisterly  wiiids 
])low,  the  fouf  is  rolled  in  on  the  southern  tind  south-eastern 
shoi'es  of  the  island,  cov(>rinu"  the  bays,  creeks,  tind  hetidlainls 
with  ii  thick  curtain  of  vapor.     Tho  fog  seldom  penelnites  far 


CLIMATE. 


159 


iiilaiul.  Ilenco  the  saj'ing  of  the  fislionnon  that  "  the  land  cats 
up  tlio  fog."  While  the  coasts  arc  sjiroudcd  in  vapor  the  sun 
i-;  shiniiii;  brightly  inland,  and  the  atni()s[)hcre  is  dry  and  halmy. 
It  not  unfrc(iuently  happens  that  at  St.  John's  a  darU  uall 
of  fog  is  visible  a  few  miles  out  at  sea  while  sunshine  and 
genial  weather  prevail  on  shore,  and  during  southerly  wiii<ls 
the  great  bays  on  the  southern  coast  become  receptacles  of  the 
sea-fog.  It  often  fills  up  Placentia  Bay,  where  it  drifts  over 
the  narrow  isthmus  into  Trinity  Bay,  while  Conception  r>ay  is 
comparatively  clear.  The  fogs  are  thus  but  })artial  in  their 
iiitlueucc,  being  confined  to  the  southern  and  south-eastern 
shores  and  bays.  On  the  western  shore,  after  (^ii)e  Ray  is 
passed,  fogs  are  almost  unknown.  The  same  holds  good  of 
the  northern  and  north-eastern  coasts,  as  far  south  as  IJonavista 
l);iy.  In  his  journey  across  the  interior  Cormack  exi)erienced 
hut  four  foggy  and  drizzly  days  during  two  months  ;  forty-one 
were  briij^ht  and  onlv  eii::ht  rainy  davs.  ]\Ir.  Ilowlev,  assistant 
geologist,  says  :  "I  myself  s})ent  four  months  during  the  i)ast 
season  in  the  interior  without  experiencing  a  genuine  foggy 
(lay,  until  reaching  within  twenty  miles  of  the  southern  side 
ot"  tlu!  island.  Durinjj^  the  entire  months  of  Julv  and  August 
the  weather  in  the  interior  was  delightful,  while  fogs  pnjvailed 
at  the  same  time  along  the  southern  shore." 

It  must  also  be  remembered  that  it  is  only  during  a  portion 
of  the  year,  and  when  certain  winds  blow,  that  the  fogs  engen- 
dorcd  on  the  Bank  are  wafted  shorewards.  During  three-fourths 
of  the  year  the  westerly  winds  carry  the  vajxu's  across  the 
Atlantic,  and  the  British  Isles  get  the  benefit  of  their  moisture. 
In  winter  there  is  little  fog  on  the  banks,  as  the  Arctic 
current  then  is  stronger,  and  j)ushes  the  Gulf  Stream  more  to 
the  south;  while  in  sununer  tlu>  latter  si)roads  its  warm  waters 
nearer  the  shores  of  tlu;  island,  aiul  thus  creates  the  huge 
vohunes  of  vapor  which  often  envelop  both  sea  aiul  shore. 
Howevi'r  uni)leasant  and  gloomy  these  fogs  may  be,  it  nmst 
he  remembered  that  they  are  not  prejudicial  to  health. 

Taken  as  a  whole  the  climate  of  the  island  is  more  temperate 
and  more  favorable  to  health  than  that  of  the  neighltoi'lng 
continent.     The  fierce  summer  heats  of  Canada  and  the  United 


• 


1M 


1 


ft^^ 


!| 

1 

:    !      1 
,    .i] 

"Sffr  f" 

i    >f 

^     '      1 

11. 

1  :!' 

1 
i  ■ 

i 

Itljfl 


(    •   ^ 


'iiit> 


160 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


States,  and  the  intense  cold  of  their  winters,  are  unknown  in 
Newfoundland.  It  is  but  rarely,  and  then  only  for  a  few  hours, 
that  the  thermometer  sinks  below  zero  in  winter ;  while  the 
sununer  range  rarely  exceeds  eighty  degrees,  and  for  the  ni()>t 
part  does  not  rise  above  sev^enty.  Like  all  insular  climates, 
that  of  Newfoundland  is  variable,  and  subject  to  sudden  cluuiircs. 
The  Arctic  current  exerts  an  unfavorable  influence  along  the 
eastern  coast;  but  as  a  compensation,  it  brings  with  it  the 
enormous  wealth  of  cod  and  seals  which  has  rendered  the 
fisheries  the  most  productive  in  the  world.  Only  in  cold  water 
are  cod  and  seals  at  home  and  abundant.  The  Gulf  Stream, 
which  creates  the  fogs,  modifies  the  cold ;  and,  if  it  darkens  tlu; 
skies,  it  paints  the  cheeks  of  the  people  with  the  ros}  hues  ot" 
health.  The  salubrity  of  the  climate  is  evidenced  l)y  the 
robust,  healthy  appearance  of  the  people.  Their  clothing  in 
winter  does  not  require  to  be  mroh  warmer  than  that  Avorn  in 
Britain  at  the  same  season  of  the  year.  Open  fireplaces  arc 
sufficient  to  warm  the  houses,  and  free  exercise  in  the  open  air 
is  attainable  at  ail  seasons. 

The  following  extracts  from  a  table  showing  the  averai^i;  uf 
certain  meteorological  quantities  for  a  period  of  eight  years, 
from  1857  to  18G4  inclusive,  will  furnish  reliable  data  regarding 
the  climate.  The  observations  were  taken  by  Mr.  E.  'SI.  J. 
Delar.y,  C.E.,  at  St.  John's:  — 

Year. 

1857  . 

1858  . 

1859  . 
18G0  . 

1861  . 

1862  . 

1863  . 

1864  . 

Average  mean  temperature  for  eight  years,  41*2  degrees. 
Average  height  of  barometer  for  eight  years,  29*37  inches. 

The  average  maximum  height  of  the  thermometer  for  the 
eight  years  was  83  degrees ;  the  minimum,  7  degrees.     The 


Mean  temperature 
for  year. 

Menu  liciulit  of 
baroiiulcr  for  viar. 

42  degrees   . 

.     29-31 

inches. 

41 

.     29-5 

44 

.     29-79 

41 

.     20-60 

•  <( 

40 

.     29-40 

41 

.     20-50 

44 

.     29-60 

37 

.     29-40 

i '  f  h 


CLIMATE. 


IGl 


avorage  number  of  days  on  which  rain   foil  durinij  tho  cii^ht 
years  was  105-07.     Tho  highest  range  of  the  thernionieter  was 
on  July  27,  1857,  when  it    reached    8!J  degrees ;    the   lowest 
was  on  February  11,   1858,   when  it  marked  2  degrees. 
The  observations  taken  in  1879  trave  the  followinir  results  :  — 


Mean  temperature  for  year  . 
Absolute  maximum  temperature   . 
Absolute  minimum  temperature    . 
Highest  temperature,  August  3d  . 
Lowest  temperature,  December  22d 
^lean  height  of  barometer  for  year 


40-2  degrees. 
61-1      '" 
21-4 

82-0       " 
4-0 
29-908  inches. 


As  to  the  rainfall,  the  following  observations  will  show  the 
average  depth  of  rain,  in  inches  and  tenths,  during  the  years 
named :  — 


Year. 

1875 

1876 
1877 
1878 


Di'ptl)  in 
incbrri  mid  toiiths. 


30-()l 
48-46 

•  •  •  •  •  aO/'Ol 

46-47 
The  latter  two,  for  1877  and  1878,  include  depth  of  rain  and 

melted  snow.     During  the  eight  years,  from  1857  to  1.S64,  the 

average  rainfiill  was  63-52  inches. 

'    In  the  "  Tables  of  Aqueous  Precipitation  for  Series  of  Years," 

collected  by  the  Smithsonian  Institution,   United  States,   and 

pul)lished  in  1872,  the  average  fall  of  rain  for  Newfoundland  is 

reckoned  at  58-30  inches. 
In  order  to  compare  St.  John's  with  Toronto,  Canada,  in  regard 

to  temperature,  the  following  records  will  be  serviceable  :  — 

Toronto. 

Year. 

1875  .... 

1876  .... 

1877  .... 

1878  .... 

1879  .... 
Average  temperature  in  Toronto  for  thirty-nine  years,  44-12 
degrees. 


Mean  tompora- 
turo  of  your. 

40-77 

degrees. 

43-98 

ft 

46-10 

(t 

47-09 

n 

44-16 

ff 

I 


'■:t 


'  1 


il      >l 


ji' 


I! 

11 

■ 

HI 


162 


XE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


In  the  foregoing  returns  it  should  Ije  i-emembercd  that  tlic 
ol)scrvjitions  in  Xcwfoundhind  were  taken  at  St.  John's,  which 
is  the  point  in  the  peninsula  of  Avalon  which  stretches  farthest 
eastward,  and  is,  therefore,  most  exposed  to  the  chilling  intln- 
ence  of  the  Arctic  current.  The  climate  of  St.  John's,  there- 
fore, is  an  unfair  standard  by  which  to  measure  that  of  tiie 
wiioie  island.  At  the  heads  of  the  hays,  in  the  interior,  and 
on  the  western  coast,  the  climate  is  much  warmer  than  at  St. 
John's.  Tlie  following  comparative  table,  for  1874,  will  fur- 
nish a  fair  basis  on  which  an  estimate  may  be  founded  :  — 


St.  George's  Bay,  Newfoundland 
Windsor,  Nova  Scotia  . 
Toronto         ... 
Winnipeg,  Manitoba 


Mean  fpmpcra- 

turu  per  yeur. 


T.owost 
ti'mpcralnrc. 


43-8  degrees.  15  deL'iccs. 


42-7 
44-3 
30-8 


15 
7-5 
4-3 


The   rainfall   of  each  place  is,  when  compared,  favorable  to 
Newfoundland :  — 


Total  (liiys  of  rain  in  four  months. 

St.  George's  Bay 

Toronto     ..... 

WiiHiipeg  ..... 

Truro,  N.S. 


34 
47 
52 
68 


Thus,  in  the  American  sense  of  the  w'ord,  Newfoundland  is 
by  no  means  a  cold  country;  but  it  partakes  of  the  gciunil 
character  of  the  North  American  climate,  and  is  therefore  nuuh 
colder  than  in  the  same  latitude  of  the  Old  World.  Its  latitude 
corresponds  to  that  of  France,  but  its  climate  is  very  dill'ercnt. 
Winter  sets  in,  as  a  rale,  in  the  beginning  of  December,  tnid 
lasts  till  the  end  of  March  or  middle  of  April.  The  frost  is 
occasionally  broken  by  southerly  winds  and  bright  warm  d;iys, 
and  much  of  the  snow  is  melted.  Then  it  returns,  and  fresh 
falls  of  snow  are  experienced.  The  frost  rarely  penetrates  the 
ground  to  a  greater  depth  than  a  few  inches,  whereas  in  Canada 
it  has  l)een  known  to  go  down  three  feet.  During  winter  there 
are  often  heavy  gales  of  wind,  which,  however,  do  not  extend 


CLIMATE. 


163 


far  out  to  sea.  The  cold  is,  of  course,  felt  more  intensely  in 
consequence  of  these  gales.  Snow-storms  are  not  uncommon  ; 
and  when  the  icy  particles  are  hurled  on  the  wings  of  a  tierce 
north-wester  it  is  safest  to  keep  within  doors.  Such  storms, 
however,  do  not  often  occur,  nor,  as  a  rule,  do  they  last  long. 
Winter  is  the  season  of  social  enjoyments  of  all  kinds,  and  is 
tar  from  being  unpleasant.  Nothing  can  be  mor3  exhilarating 
than  the  bracing  air  of  a  tine  winter'  day,  with  the  hard  crisp 
snow  underfoot  and  a  bright  sun  overhead.  The  musical  tinkle 
of  the  sleigh-l)ells  when  driving  over  the  frozen  snow,  and  the 
purity  of  the  atmosi)here  add  to  the  charms  of  the  scene.  In 
fact,  winter  is  regarded  as  the  most  enjoyable  part  of  the  year. 
The  snow  preserves  the  ground  from  the  influence  of  the  frost, 
and  when  in  April  it  melts,  the  tields  soon  become  tit  for  the 
o[)crations  of  the  farmer.  It  is  true  the  spring  is  late,  and 
often 

"  Wiutcr  lingering  chills  the  lap  of  May." 

But  once  vegetation  sets  in  it  progresses  with  marvellous  rapid- 
ity, and  crops  grow  and  ripen  much  quicker  than  in  the  Eastern 
hemisphere.  The  autumn  is  usually  very  fine,  and  is  prolonged 
often  till  Noveml)er.  The  frosts  of  winter,  too,  aid  the  opera- 
tions of  the  husbandman,  and  help  to  pulverize  the  soil.  Thus 
there  is  nothing  in  the  climate  of  the  country  to  interfere  with 
agriculture.  The  destructive  tornadoes  that  often  spr*  iiavoc 
in  certain  portions  of  the  American  continent  are  unknown  in 
Newfoundland.  Thunder-storms,  too,  are  very  rare,  and  when 
they  occur  seldom  prove  injurious. 

A  curious  phenomenon,  called  in  Newfoundland  "the  silver 
thaw,"  is  often  witnessed  in  winter,  though  seldom  seen  in 
Canada.  When  rain  falls  with  a  low  state  of  the  thermometer 
near  the  earth,  it  is  congealed  as  it  descends,  and  thusareguhir 
deposition  of  ice  takes  place  on  the  branches  and  the  smallest 
twigs  of  trees  and  shrubs.  The  la^^er  of  ice  goes  on  increasing 
till  it  attains  a  thickness  of  half  an  inch  or  more.  A  magical 
tiansformation  is  wrought.  The  trees  are  hung  with  glittering 
jewels,  even  the  smallest  twigs  being  loaded,  and  the  branches 
bent  to  the  earth.     When  the  sun  shines  a  scene  of  dreamlike 


1 ,  1J 


;J.    *.|, 


\i 


1()4 


NE  WFO  UNDLA  XD. 


splendor  is  prcspiitcd.  Each  tree  has  the  appearance  of  airreat 
chandelier  of  cr^'stal,  the  play  of  the  sunbeams  on  myriads  ot 
prisms  producing  a  dazzling  effect.  The  weight  of  the  icy 
jewellery  often  breaks  the  thickest  l)ranches.  Sometimes  the 
wind  rises  suddenly  and  speedily  unloads  the  jewelled  trees. 

Another  phenomenon  witnessed  in  perfection  in  Newfoundland 
is  the  aurora  borealis.  At  certain  seasons  the  play  of  the 
northern  lights  presents  occasionally  one  of  the  grandest  sights 
in  the  world.  The  whole  heavens  are  lighted  up  with  the 
brilliant  disj)la3',  and  flame-curtains  of  all  hues  seem  to  wave 
over  the  vast  concave.  The  auroral  phenomena  are  finer  here 
than  even  in  the  Arctic  regions. 

It  may  be  desirable  to  cite  the  opinions  of  a  few  intelligent 
persons  who,  from  experience,  have  been  enaUed  to  form  an 
ojjinion  of  the  character  of  the  climate.  That  famous  ancient 
mariner,  Richard  Whitbourne,  Avho  spent  many  years  in  voyag- 
ing to  the  country,  and  also  made  it  his  residence  for  a  lenL'th 
of  time,  about  K!!'),  was  an  enthusiastic  admirer  of  the  island. 
In  his  l)ook,  alter  many  encomiums  on  the  country  and  its  pro- 
ductions, he  savs  :  "What  receive  we  from  the  hands  of  our 
owne  country  which  in  most  bounteous  manner  wo  have  not  had 
or  may  have  at  hers?  Naj^  what  can  the  world  yield  to  the 
sustentation  of  man  which  is  not  in  her  to  bee  gotten?  Desire 
you  wholesome  ayro  (the  very  food  of  life)  ?  It  is  there. 
Shall  any  land  powere  in  abundant  heaps  of  nourishments  and 
necessaries  before  you?  There  you  have  them.  What  seas  so 
abounding  with  fish?  What  shores  so  replenished  with  fresh 
and  sweet  Avaters?  The  wants  of  other  kingdoms  are  not  felt 
heero  ;  and  those  provisions  Avhich  other  countries  want  are  from 
them  sup[)lied.  How  much  is  Spain,  France,  Portugal,  Italy 
and  other  places,  beholding  to  this  noble  part  of  the  world  for 
fish  and  other  commodities  (it  is  to  be  admired).  Let  the 
Dutch  report  what  sweetness  they  have  suckt  from  thence  hy 
trade  thither,  in  buying  fish  and  other  commodities  from  our 
nation,  and  (all)eit  all  the  rest  should  be  dumbc)  the  voyces  of 
them  are  as  trumphets,  lowd  enough  to  make  England  fall  more 
and  more  in  love  Avith  such  a  Sister-land. 

"  I  am  loth  to  weary  thee  (good  reader)  in  ac(]uainting  thee 


CLIMATE. 


165 


thus  to  those  famous  fairc  and  protitable  Rivers,  and  likewise  to 
those  delightful  large  and  inestimable  Woods,  and  also  with 
those  fruitful  and  enticing  Hills  and  delightful  Vallies  —  there 
to  hunt  and  hawke,  where  is  neither  savage  people  nor  ravtmous 
beasts  to  hinder  their  sports.  They  are  such,  that  in  so  small  a 
piece  of  pai)er  as  now  my  love  salutes  thee  with  I  cannot  fuU}^ 
set  them  down  as  they  deserve  ;  and  therefore  I  doe  intreat  thee 
with  judgment,  with  patience,  and  with  true  desire  for  the  bene- 
fit of  thy  dread  Sovereign  and  Country,  to  reade  over  this  dis- 
course which  (I  trust)  may  encourage  thee  to  further  so  hopeful  a 
Plantation  as  it  api)eareth  to  be,  and  also  I  trust  give  thee 
auii)le  satisfaction  and  just  cause  to  answere  opposers,  if  any 
out  of  ignorance  or  any  other  sinester  respect  should  seek  to 
hinder  so  honourable  and  worthy  designs." 

Sir  Richard  Bonnycastle,  who  spent  some  years  in  the 
country,  in  his  interesting  work  on  Newfoundland  (1<S42), 
says,  regt^rding  the  climate  :  "  We  tind  that  the  extremes  of 
tenii)erature  in  Newfoundland  are  trifling  compared  with  those 
of  Canada.  There  the  thermometer  falls  as  low  as  twenty-seven 
degrees  below  zero,  and  even  lower  at  times  in  winter,  and  rises 
to  ninety  in  summer.  Here  the  lowest  temi)erature  in  winter 
scarcely  exceeds  zero,  or  eight  or  ten  degrees  below  it,  except- 
ing upon  rare  occasions ;  and  in  the  height  of  summer,  does  not 
attain  more  in  common  years  than  seventy-nine  degrees.  Win- 
ter may  really  l)e  said  to  connnence  here  towards  the  latter  end 
of  November  only,  though  tires  are  comfortable  adjuncts  during 
most  of  that  month  ;  and  its  sevcu'ity  begins  after  Clu-istmas, 
runs  through  January  and  February,  and  becomes  less  and  less 
stern  until  the  middle  of  April,  when  it  ceases  altogether.  In 
the  winter  of  1840  plou«;hing  was  m)ing  on  a^'ter  Christmas. 

"It  is  generally 'supposed  in  England  that  Newfoundland  is 
constantly  enveloped  in  fog  and  wet  mist ;  nothing,  however, 
can  be  further  from  the  truth.  The  summers  are  freciuently  so 
hot  and  dry  that  for  want  of  rain  the  grass  })erishes — the  sum- 
mer of  1840  was  one  of  these — and  the  nights  are  unusually 
splendid ;  whilst  in  winter  fog  is  very  rarely  seen." 

He  kept  a  register  in  regard  to  foggy  days,  from  which  it  ap- 
pears that  in  1841  there  were  only  seventeen  and  a  half  days 


1  i 


1  . 


M' 


' 


1    n 


i  i 


t      1(! 


« 


\'\: 

I'M 


I 


I 


166 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


of  thick  fog  in  St.  John's,  "which  is  more  exposed  to  llio 
'hank  weather,'  as  it  is  called,  than  any  other  part  of  the  isl- 
and"; and  light  fogs  were  prevalent  only  nineteen  and  a  hiilf 
days  —  giving  thirty-sevon  days  of  i'o^^y  weather  on  the  shore 
throughout  the  year.  He  remarks  further  on  the  light  clothin" 
with  which  the  lahoring  classes  went  about  in  winter,  and  on 
their  robust  appearance,  and  pronounces  the  climato  salubrious 
in  the  highest  degree. 

The  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Mullock,  in  one  of  his  lectures,  savs  re- 
garding  Newfoundland  :  "  Wc  never  have  the  thermometer  down 
to  zero,  unless  once  or  twice  in  the  year,  and  then  only  for  a 
few  hours,  and  for  a  few  degrees,  three,  four,  or  perhaps  ten  : 
while  we  hear  of  the  temperature  of  ten  and  twenty  l)elow  zero 
in  Canada  and  New  Brunswick ;  and  this  life-destroying  cold 
continuing  for  days,  perhaps  weeks.  Then  see  another  eflcLt 
of  this  —  the  Canadians  and  other  North  Americans  of  the  . same 
latitude,  arc  obliged  to  keep  up  hot  stoves  continually  almost  in 
their  houses,  while  we  have  open  fireplaces,  or  at  most  Franklins ; 
our  children,  I  may  say,  are  lightly  clad  as  in  summer,  spend  !i 
large  portion  of  their  time  in  the  open  air ;  and  thus  while  our 
neiuhbors  have  the  sallow  hue  of  confinement  tinging  their 
cheeks,  and  their  children  look  comparatively  pale  and  delicate, 
our  youngsters  are  blooming  with  the  rosy  hue  of  health,  de- 
veloping their  energies  l)y  air  and  exercise,  and  preparing  them- 
selves for  the  battle  of  life  hereafter,  cither  as  hardy  mariners, 
or  healthy  matrons  —  the  blooming  mothers  of  a  powerful  race." 
...  "I  may  remark  that  by  the  climate  table  furnished  me 
by  j\[r.  Delany,  I  find  that  tho  highest  temperature  was  nincUy- 
six  degrees  on  the  3d  of  July ;  eight  degrees  on  tho  3d  of 
March;  and  the  mean  temperature  of  the  year  (1859)  forty- 
four  degrees;  mean  maximum  pressure  of  barometer  29-74; 
rain  63-920  inches,  for  the  year  ;  maximum  quantity  in  twenty- 
four  hours,  2-089  inches.  Wind,  N.N.W.  and  W.N.W.  two 
hundred  days  ;  N.E.  twenty-five  days  ;  W.  and  AV.S.W.  thirty- 
eight  days;  S.S.W.  and  S.E.  one  hundred  and  two  days; 
thunder  and  lightning  five  days  ;  rain  fell  on  one  hundred  and 
ten  days  ;  snow  fifty-four  days." 

In  reference  to  the  high  temperature  of  ninety-six  degrees  on 


CLIMATE. 


ig; 


July  13,  1859,  mentioned  in  the  foregoinj^ extract,  Mr.  Dt'laiiy. 
in  Ji  foot-note  to  the  table,  roniarl<H  that  it  was  probably  owiii^ 
to  a  large  portion  of  the  woods  l)oini5  on  tire  on  that  day,  in  the 
neighl)orhood  of  St.  John's.  Surh  a  temperature!  is  never 
reached  except  under  exceptional  conditions. 

Sir  Stej)hen  Hill,  formerly  governor,  says  in  one  of  his  de- 
spatches, after  a  description  of  the  country  and  the  seasons  : 
"Before  (piitting  this  subject,  I  would  observe  that  the  climate 
of  Newfoundland  is  exceedingly  healthy.  The  robust  iind 
health}'  appearance  of  the  people,  and  the  advanced  ages  which 
many  of  them  attain,  testify  to  the  purity  and  the  excellence  of 
the  air  which  they  inhale,  and  the  invigorating  (pialities  of  the 
breezes  of  British  North  America." 

]\Ir.  Murray,  geological  surveyor,  says  :  "In  other  respects 
the  climate  of  Newfoundland  is,  as  compared  with  the  neigh- 
boring continent,  a  moderately  temperate  one.  T!ie  heat  is  far 
less  intense,  on  an  average,  during  the  summer,  than  in  any 
part  of  Canada,  and  the  extreme  cold  of  winter  is  nmch  l(!ss 
severe.  The  thermometer  rarely  indicates  higher  than  seventy 
degrees  Fahrenheit,  in  the  former,  or  nmch  below  zero  in  the 
latter:  although  the  cold  is  occasionally  aggravated  by  storms 
and  the  humidity  consequent  on  an  insular  position.  The  cli- 
mate is  undoubtedly  a  very  healthy  one,  and  the  general 
physique  of  the  natives,  who  are  a  powerfully-built,  robust,  and 
hardy  race,  is  a  good  example  of  its  influence." 


»« 


"If 


168 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


THE    AE(  RIGINES. 


Iluniiin  relics  —  The  Amcriciin  Indian  skull- 


Survivals"  — The  Bethuks  — 


dirtier  on  the  natives  of  his  day  —  Whithourne's  description  of  '•'j'hc 
natural  inhabitants"  —  Early  experiences  of  the  settlers  —  Invasion  aii.l 
retaliation  —  British  intervention  —  Indians  ca])tured  and  taken  to  St. 
John's  —  Disappearance  of  the  native  tribes  —  Modes  of  sepulture — (dr- 
inack's  exiieditions  —  Wigwams  and  deer-traps —  Indian  vocabulary. 

Ix  tlu!  Museum  of  8t.  John'.s  tliore  is  preserved  a  luini;in 
skull,  to  whieh  u  curious  interest  attaches.  It  is  the  only  cnuiiiun 
known  to  he  j)reservecl  of  the  once  numerous  and  powcrt'iil 
Bcthuk  or  I><eothic  trihe  of  Red  Indians,  the  ahoriiiincs  ot' 
Xewfoundland  —  a  race  now  extinct.  It  was  found  in  a  cruvc 
in  (ircenspond,  toirether  with   a  thiii'h-hone,  ;i  shouldci-hladc, 


and  !i  i"ew  otlu^r  sintiller  hoi 


les 


the  reniJi,  idcr  of  the  f^kclcloii 


hiivinii'  been  |)r()l)al)ly  carried  oil*  hy  the  wolves  or  foxes.  1'ho 
skull  i.s  in  a  uood  stale  of  i)reservati()n,  except  that  the  check- 
bone  tmd  the  lower  part  of  the  socket  of  one  eye  are  broken. 
Underneath  M'here  these  remains  lay  was  a  circular  hole,  lined 
with  birch  bark,  about  twenty  inches  in  diameter  and  ten  inches 
in  dei)th,  tit  the  bottom  of  which  were  two  jiieces  of  iron 
pyrites.  In  the  arave  Wiis  also  fouiul  the  shaft  ot  a  siienr 
stained  with  red  ochre.  Thi^  skull  and  l)ones  are  the  (inly 
regies  of  the  kind  which  remain  of  th<'  vanish.ed  rn'thuks.  onee 
lords  of  this  laruc*  island.  Diliuent  sciirch  has  been  niiule 
within  the  last  few  years,  by  more  tlam  one  traveller,  in  llie 
burial-places  of  the  tribi'  around  Ked  Indian  Lake  :ind  t'l>e- 
where,  for  skulls  or  other  bones  :  but,  so  far,  not  a  fraunicnt  li.is 
been  foimd.  A  l"ew  of  their  arrow  iind  spear  heads  aiul  ,>t(ine 
implements  of  various  kinds  hiive  been  dui;  uj>  in  various 
places  ;  but  only  a  solitary  skull  remains  to  tell  us  what  wasilie 
conliiiuration  of  "the  dome  of  thouuht  "  in  which  beat  the  brain 


Nil 


THE  ABORIGINES. 


109 


of  a  Bethuk.  Even  this  relic  was  in  dan";erof  bcinjjconsijrned 
to  the  dust-bin  through  carelessness,  wh<^n  the  present  writer 
rescued  it,  and  placed  it  in  the  local  museum.  It  has  been 
since  photographed,  and  formed,  together  with  stone  imple- 
ments, the  subject  of  a  paper  by  Mr.  Lloyd,  which  was  nvid 
before  the  Anthropological  Institute  of  Great  Britain  an<l  Ire- 
l;ni<l,  and  printed  in  their  Journal.  The  pecul'-'rities  which 
stamp  the  American  Indian  skull  arc  discernible  —  the  vertical 
occiput,  the  prominent  vertex,  the  low  defective  forclicad,  the 
square  form,  the  (juadrangular  orbits,  and  the  massive  maxilla. 
It  is  the  cranium  of  a  savauie,'  but  not  one  of  a  low  tvpe. 
Around  the  skull  in  its  present  place  of  repose  are  appropri- 
ately grouped  various  Indian  implements  of  stdne  which  were 
found  in  the  island.  One  of  these  is  an  oblonij  vessel  of  soft 
niagnesian  stone,  hollowed  to  the  de[)th  of  two  inches,  the 
lower  edges  forming  a  square  of  three  and  a  half  inches  in  the 
sides.  In  one  corner  is  a  hollow  groove,  which  apparently 
served  as  a  si)out.  There  arc  also  arrow-heads  of  a  hard  gray 
cherty  stone,  an  axe-shai)ed  tool  of  felsite  slate,  and  a  tinely- 
worked  and  highly-polished  gouge-shai)e(l  implement  of  chi'rt, 
nine  and  a  half  inches  in  length.  No  little  skill  and  patient 
lal)or  were  needed  to  form  these  poor  imi)lements  of  stone. 
They  were  the  best  which  heads  of  the  type  here  presented 
could  devise  to  help  them  in  their  hard  "struggle  for  existence." 
AVith  these  i)oor  ini[)lements  they  were  ixn-haps  hunting  and 
llshing  when  our  own  progenitors  in  Europe  had  not  got  i'ar  in 
advance  of  the  red  men. 

Ktluioloirists  are  ijenerally  aixreed  in  reuardinix  the  aboritfines 
ot"  America  as  but  a  single!  race,  from  Cape  Horn  to  the  con- 
liiH's  of  the  Esquimaux,  aroiuid  the  Arctic  circle,  divided  into 
:in  intinite  number  of  small  tril)es,  presenting  more  or  less  dif- 
lcr(Mices  one  from  the  oth(>r.  Dr.  Morton  se[)aratcs  tlicm 
l)i'(»adly  into  two  great  families  :  tlu;  ToIt(!can  nations  —  ('nil»rac- 
ing  Mexicans  and  Peruvians  —  and  the  barbarous  ti-ibes, 
including  tlu^  whole  remaining  inhabitants  of  the  continent. 
The  barbarous  tribes  have  been  arranged  into  live  groups : 
First,  Iro(|uois ;  second,  Algonkin  and  Apalachian :  third, 
l)acota;  fourth,  Shoshonoos ;  lifth,  Oregouians.     The  question 


\^ 


\M 


\  \  \  • 


.  u.  '  i,i  I 


I  r:'i 


170 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


is  to  which  of  these  groups  did  the  red  men  of  Newfoundhind 
l)elong.  Some  writers  have  regarded  them  as  being  Esciuiniaux, 
and  others  as  Micmacs  ;  but  for  neither  opinion  is  there  any 
foundation. 

The  Esquimaux  are  looked  upon  by  some  reeent  ethnol(>gists 
as  the  "■  survivals  "  of  the  Cave  Men  of  Europe.  If  tliis  theory 
be  correct,  then  the  Cave  Men  were  gradually  driven  farther 
and  farther  north  by  new  arrivals  in  Europe,  until  tlicy  were 
pressed  within  the  Arctic  regions.  But  when  the  Bethuics  are 
compai'ed  with  them  there  are  no  points  of  resemblaix-e.  Tiiey 
arc  also  (juite  distinct  from  the  Micmacs,  another  tribe  of  rod 
men.  Latham,  one  of  the  highest  authorities  in  ethnology,  re- 
gards the  Bcthuks  of  Xewfoundland  as  a  branch  of  tlie  great 
Algoiilcin  tribe  of  North  American  Indians. 

In  his  "Varieties  of  Man"  ho  says  that  all  doubts  on  this 
subject  have  ])eenset  at  rest  by"  a  hitherto  unpubliMied  l)etluik 
Vocabulary,  with  which  I  have  been  kindly  furnished  l)y  my 
friend,  Dr.  King,  of  the  Ethnological  Society.  This  niMrked 
them  a  separate  section  of  the  Algonkins,  and  such  I  believe 
them  to  have  been."  The  evidences  we  are  about  to  furnish 
seem  to  point  to  the  same  conclusion.  Thus  we  may  safely 
classify  them  as  a  branch  of  the  wide-spread  and  warlike 
Algonkins,  whose  area  embraced  the  whole  of  Canada,  Xova 
Scotia,  Cape  Breton,  New  Brunswick,  Labrador,  and  part  of 
Hudson's  Bay  Territory,  together  with  a  large  portion  of  the 
United  States.  In  fact  this  tribe  were  distributed  east  and  west, 
from  the  Rocky  ^Mountains  to  Newfoundland,  and  north  and 
south,  from  Labrador  to  the  Carolinas.  The  Bethuks  came  of  a 
good  stock  of  red  men,  and  if  they  were  unable  to  retain  a 
footing  in  Newfoundland  1)efore  the  advancing  tread  of  civiii/u- 
tion,  they  have  only  anticii)ated  a  little  the  inevitable  doom 
which  awaits  their  race  in  continental  America. 

At  what  time  the  Bethuks  found  their  way  to  Newfoundliind 
from  the  shores  of  Canada  or  Labrador  is,  of  course,  utterly 
unknown.  When  Cabot  discovered  the  island,  in  141)7,  he 
found  them  in  possession.  Xo  doubt  for  many  centuries  pre- 
viously th(>y  had  been  lishing  in  its  creeks,  harbors,  and  bays, 
hunting  the  caribou  over  its  plains,  and  erecting  their  wigwams 


THE  ABORIGINES. 


171 


by  the  pli\cid  waters  of  its  inland  lakes.  At  this  day  there 
are  few  better  hunting-grounds  than  those  of  Newfoundland  ; 
and  what  must  they  iiave  been  liefore  the  coming  of  "  the  pale- 
faces," with  their  destructive  fire-arms  !  One  can  fancy  that 
the  island,  with  its  abundance  of  wild  creatures  of  all  kinds, 
and  its  shores  and  countless  lakes  swarming  with  fish,  must 
have  been  the  very  paradise  of  the  red  men.  Unmolested,  they 
[)ui>ued  the  game  over  a  country  having  an  area  of  forty-two 
thousand  square  miles.  Countless  herds  of  the  finest  reindeer 
I)()unded  over  the  savannas  of  the  interior,  in  their  annual 
migrations  ;  and  who  more  skilled  than  the  red  men  in  entrap- 
ping and  slaying  the  lordly  stag,  in  capturing  the  beaver,  with 
\v!iich  the  ponds  were  lavishly  stocked,  or  in  bringing  down  the 
plump  i)tarmigan,  of  which  vast  flocks  were  everywhere  to  l)e 
met  with?  We  can  hardly  doubt  that  when  "monarchs  of  all 
they  surveyed,"  and  with  all  the  resources  of  the  island  at  their 
conmiand,  the  Bethuks  revelled  in  a  savage  luxury,  feasting  on 
venison,  and  clothing  themselves  in  the  rich  furs  which  were 
the  spoils  of  the  chase. 

The  early  historical  notices  of  the  red  men  of  Newfoundland 
are  very  brief,  but  serve  to  give  us  some  idea  of  their  appear- 
ance and  hal)its  as  they  presented  themselves  to  the  early 
voyagers.  The  earliest  reference  met  with  is  in  "  llakluyt,"  ^ 
whore  there  is  an  account  of  the  discovery  of  Newfoundland  by 
Cabot.  Of  the  aI)origines,  Cabot  is  reported  to  have  said : 
"  The  inhabitants  of  this  island  use  the  skins  and  furs  of  wild 
h(>asts  for  garments,  which  they  hold  in  as  high  estimation  as 
we  do  our  finest  clothes.  In  war  they  use  bows  and  arrows, 
spears,  darts,  clubs,  and  slings." 

In  "Kerr's  Travels"  it  is  stated  thai  (\ibot,  on  his  second 
voyage,  brought  away  three  of  the  aborigines,  and  took  them  to 
England.  "In  the  fourteenth  year  of  the  king  (Ilemy  \T1.) 
tlu'ce  men  were  brought  from  Newfoundland,  who  were  clothed 
in  th(>  skins  of  bensts.  did  eat  raw  llesh,  and  sjjoke  a  language 
which  HO  mim  could  understMnd  ;  their  demeanor  being  more 
liU(!  that  of  brute  beasts  thim  men.  They  were  kept  by  the 
king  for  some  considerable  time,  and  I  saw  two  of  them  about 


» Vol.  iii.,  p.  27. 


w 


m 


!  *     I 


ii^i ' 


! 


Ill 


.  1 

1' 

^'-      ^. 

mmm 

I 

^KUtMka^B^^  V^  ^ 

^ 


172 


iV^£:  ir/'O  UNDLAND. 


two  years  aftcrward.s,  in  the  Palace  of  Westminster,  ha1)it('(l 
like  Englishmen,  and  not  to  be  distinguished  from  Englishmen 
until  I  was  told  who  they  were." 

It  may  be  doubted  whether  this  account  is  correct  in  iill 
respects,  as  Cabot  does  not  appear  to  have  had  much  to  do  with 
Newfoundland  after  its  discovery.  The  red  men  referred  to 
may  have  been  natives  of  Cape  Breton  or  Prince  Edward 
Island. 

Jacques  Carticr,  in  1433,  described  the  aborigines  of  New- 
foundland as  "  of  indifferent  good  stature  and  bigness,  but  wild 
and  unruly.  They  wear  their  hair  tied  on  the  top  like  a  wreath  of 
hay,  and  put  a  wooden  pin  in  it,  or  any  other  such  thing  instead 
of  a  nail,  and  with  them  they  bind  certain  birds'  feathers. 
They  are  well  clothed  with  beasts'  skins,  as  well  the  men  as  the 
women  ;  but  the  women  go  somewhat  straighter  and  closer  in 
their  garments  than  the  men  do,  with  their  waists  girded." 

Hayes,  who  was  second  in  command  to  Sir  Humphrey 
Gilbert,  about  1583,  and  whose  narrative  has  been  preserved 
in  the  Ilakluyt  Collection,  says :  "The  savages  arc  altogether 
harmless." 

Captain  Richard  AVhitbourne,  1G22,  gives  much  fuller  ac- 
counts in  his  interesting  book  on  Newfoundland.  He  tells  us 
that  "the  natural  inhal)itants  of  the  country,  as  they  are  hut 
few  in  number,  so  are  they  something  rude  and  savage  people, 
having  neither  knowledge  of  God  nor  living  under  any  kind  of 
civil  g()»/ernment.  In  their  habits,  customs,  and  manners,  they 
resemble  Indians  on  the  continent."  Ho  further  describes  them 
as  ingenious  and  tractable,  full  of  quick  and  lively  apprehension  ; 
willinij  to  assist  the  tishermen  in  curing  lish  for  a  small  hire. 
He  shows  that  "  in  their  habits  they  resemble  the  Canadian 
Indians,  as  they  constructed  canoes  with  the  bark  of  bireh-tre(>s, 
whii'h  they  sew  very  artilieially  and  close  together,  and  ovei- 
lay  every  seam  with  turpentine."  He  also  tells  us  that  they 
were  able  to  "sew  the  rinds  of  spruce-trees,  round  and  deep  in 
proi)ortion,  like  a  brass-kettle,  to  boil  their  meat  in";  and  on 
one  occasion  he  says  three  of  his  men  surprised  a  party  of  them 
enjoying  themselves  in  a  sumptuous  manner.  "They  were 
feasting,  having  the  canoes  by  them,  and  had  three  pots  made 


THE  ABORIGIXES. 


173 


of  rinds  of  trees,  standing  each  of  thorn  on  three  stems,  hoilinjj, 
with  fowls  in  each  (/  them,  every  fowl  as  l)ig  as  a  pigeon,  and 
some  as  big  as  a  duck.  They  had  also  many  such  pots  so 
fowled,  and  fashioned  like  the  leather  l)uokets  that  are  used  for 
quenching  fires,  and  were  full  of  the  3'olks  of  eggs  that  they 
had  taken  and  boiled  hard,  and  so  dried  small,  whic'.i  the 
savages  used  in  their  broth :  they  had  great  store  of  the  skins 
of  deer,  bettners,  bears,  seals,  otters,  and  divers  other  tine 
skins,  which  were  well-dressed ;  as  also  great  store  of  several 
goots  of  flesh  dried  ;  and  l)y  shooting  oflf'  a  musket  towards 
them,  they  all  ran  away  naked,  without  any  ap[)arel,  but  only 
their  hats  on  their  heads,  which  were  made  of  sealskins,  in 
fashion  like  our  hats."  We  are  greatly  indebted  to  this  (piaint  old 
skipper  of  the  days  of  Queen  Elizabeth  for  preserving  these 
details,  and  thus  supplying  the  only  picture  wc  have  of  the 
domestic  life  of  this  extinct  tribe.  They  evidently  knew  how  to 
appreciate  the  good  things  around  them,  and  had  very  fair 
ideas  of  cookery. 

The  friendly  relations  which  at  first  existed  l)etween  the 
white  and  red  men  in  Newfoundland,  did  not  continue  long. 
The  savage  people  began  speedily  to  exhibit  a  tendency  to 
annex  the  white  man's  goods  whenever  oi)i)ortunity  offered. 
Such  objects  as  knives,  hatchets,  nails,  lines,  or  sails,  pre- 
sented a  temptation  which  to  them  was  almost  irresistil)le. 
Their  petty  thefts  were  regarded  by  their  invaders  as  crimes  of 
the  darkest  dye,  quite  sufiicient  to  justify  the  unsparing  use 
of  the  stroni;  arm  for  their  extermination.  The  rude  hunters, 
trappers,  and  fishermen  in  the  more  distant  settlements  in  the 
north  of  the  island  were  rough  men  outside  the  control  of  law, 
and  but  little  disposed  to  try  conciliation  or  kindness  on  a  tribe 
of  savages  whose  presence  in  the  country  was  felt  to  be  an 
aimoyanco.  That  they  treated  the  i)oor  IVthuks  with  lirutal 
cruelty  admits  of  no  doubt.  In  fact,  for  a  long  period  they 
regarded  the  red  men  as  vermin  to  be  hunted  down  and  de- 
stroyed. We  can  hardly  doubt  that  such  treatment  provoked 
the  red  man  to  deeds  of  fierce  retaliation,  and  that  at  length 
"  war  to  the  knife  "  l)ecame  the  rule  between  the  two  races.  The 
savages,  at  first  mild  and  tractable  and  disposed  to  maintain 


J 

i 


174 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


I 


'I 


Hi 


Ifl 


friendly  relations,  became  at  length  the  fierce  and  imijlaeahle 
foes  of  the  white  man,  and  sternly  refused  all  overtures  for 
peaceable  intercourse  when  at  length  such  otl'ers  were  made  by  a 
humane  government.  Deeds  of  wrong  and  cruelty  were  per- 
petrated by  the  invader,  and  followed  by  retaliation  on  the  part 
of  the  savages.  In  such  a  conflict  the  weak  must  go  to  the 
wall.  Bows,  arrows,  and  cluljs  could  avail  little  against  the 
fire-arms  of  the  white  man.  Gradually  their  numbers  Avere 
thinned;  they  were  driven  from  their  best  hunting-grounds. 
AVar,  famine,  and  disease  thinned  their  ranks.  To-dav  not 
a  single,  representative  of  the  Red  Indians  of  Newfoundland 
is  known  to  be  in  existence.  Their  haunts  in  the  interior 
have  been  explored  in  the  hope  of  discovering  some  remnants 
of  the  ill-fated  race,  but  in  vain.  Only  a  few  graves  and 
the  mouldering  remains  of  their  huts  and  deer-fences  have 
been  found.  Their  camp-fires  have  been  extinguished  for- 
ever, and  the  record  of  their  fate  fills  another  dark  i)ago 
in  the  white  man's  progress  in  the  New  World.  Some  be- 
lieve that  a  small  band  of  them  escaped  and  took  refuge 
in  the  *vilds  of  Labrador ;  but  of  this  there  is  no  proof.  It 
may  )e  regarded  as  quite  certain  that  in  Newfoundland  not 
a  sing'e  individual  of  the  race  now  exists.     They  arc  gone 

"  Like  the  clouJ-rack  of  a  tempest, 
Like  the  withered  leaves  of  autumn." 

AVe  must  further  take  into  account  that  the  white  men  were  not 
the  only  enemies  of  the  doomed  al)origincs.  The  Micmacs  in- 
vaded their  territory  from  Cape  Breton  and  Nova  Scotia,  and, 
having  learned  the  use  of  fire-arms,  carried  on  a  deadly  war  against 
the  unhappy  Bethuks.  Assailed  on  the  one  hand  by  the  wiiile 
settlers,  and  on  the  other  by  the  Micmacs,  it  is  not  wonderful 
that  the  unhappy  tril)e  were  slowly  but  surely  exterminated. 

Through  the  reprcsentjitions  of  various  humane  individuals, 
the  British  Government  were  at  length  aroused  to  take  measiu'cs 
to  arrest  the  barbarities  of  the  settlers  ;  but  owing  to  the  scat- 
tered nature  of  the  settlements,  and  the  lawless  habits  of  the 
early  trappers  and  fishermen  their  eflbrts  had  little  elleel. 
The  earliest  official  notice  of  the   aborigines  is  in  the  form 


t    I 


THE  ABORIGIXES. 


175 


of  a  proclamation  by  the  governor.  Bearing  the  date  17G0, 
it  seems  to  have  been  repeated  on  the  accession  of  each 
new  governor.  The  document  sets  forth  that  His  Majesty 
had  been  informed  that  his  subjects  in  Xewfoundhmd  "do 
treat  the  savages  with  the  greatest  inhumanity,  and  fre- 
quently destroy  them  without  the  least  provocation  or  re- 
morse. In  order,  therefore,  to  put  a  stop  to  sucli  inhuman 
barbarity,  and  that  the  perpetration  of  such  atrocious  crimes 
might  be  brought  to  due  punishment,  Ilis  Majesty  enjoined  and 
required  all  his  subjects  to  live  in  amity  and  brotherly  kindness 
with  the  native  savages,"  and  further  enjoined  all  magistrates  to 
"apprehend  persons  guilty  of  murdering  the  native  Indians,  and 
send  them  to  England  for  trial." 

Not  content  with  such  proclamations  the  Government  en- 
gaged in  various  zealous  efforts  to  establish  friendly  relations 
with  the  Bethuks.  A  reward  was  offered  for  the  capture  of  a 
Red  Indian,  and,  in  1804,  a  female  was  taken  by  a  fisherman  and 
brought  to  St.  John's,  where  she  was  kindly  treated  and  sent 
back  to  her  tribe  loaded  with  presents.  A  strong  suspicion  was 
entertained  that  the  presents  aroused  the  cupidity  of  tlie  man 
who  was  intrusted  with  the  duty  of  conveying  her  back  to  her 
own  people,  and  that  the  wretch  murdered  her  and  took  pos- 
session of  the  property. 

In  1801  Lieutenant  Buchan,  of  the  Royal  Navy,  was  sent  to 
the  River  Exploits,  with  orders  to  winter  there,  and  open  a 
communication  with  the  Indians.  He  succeeded  in  finding  a 
party  of  them  ;  and,  taking  two  of  their  number  as  hostages, 
and  leaving  two  marines  with  them  as  a  pledge  of  good  faith, 
ho  returned  to  his  depot  for  presents.  During  his  al)sence  the 
fears  of  the  red  men  were  aroused,  lest,  from  his  delay  in  re- 
turning, he  might  be  bringing  up  reinforcements  with  a  view  to 
capture  them.  They  murdered  the  hostages  and  fled  to  the 
interior.  In  1819  another  female  was  taken  by  a  party  of 
tninpers  on  Red  Indian  Lake.  Her  husband  and  another 
Indian  were  with  her,  and,  having  offered  resistance,  were  both 
relentlessly  shot.  The  woman  was  brought  to  St.  John's,  and 
was  named  Mary  March,  from  the  month  in  which  she  was 
taken.     She  was  treated  with  great  kindness  and  sent  back  to 


4 


:! 


i 


i 


I  Hi  I 


176 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


S 


^   <l 


her  friends,  with  numerous  presents,  hut  died  on  the  voyarrp, 
having  l)een  suffering  for  some  time  from  consumption.  Ilor 
liody  was  placed  in  a  cofEn  and  left  on  the  margin  of  a  lake,  so 
that  it  might  he  found  hy  her  i)eoplc.  They  conveyed  it  to 
their  hurying-place  on  lied  Indian  Lake,  where,  as  we  shull 
presently  learn,  it  was  found  several  years  afterwards  l)y  the 
adventurous  traveller,  Cormack,  lying  beside  the  body  of  her 
murdered  husl)and. 

In  1823  three  Indian  females  wore  taken  in  a  wigwam  l)y  a 
party  of  men  from  Twillingate.  They  proved  to  be  a  mother 
and  her  two  daughters.  They  were  brought  to  St.  elohn's  and 
treated  with  great  kindness.  The  mother  and  one  of  the 
daughters  died ;  but  the  third,  whoso  name  was  Shanandithi-t, 
survived  for  about  two  years,  and  became  useful  as  a  house-ser- 
vant. She  is  described  as  six  feet  high,  and  having  a  fine  figure  ; 
her  complexion  swarthy,  like  the  Micmacs,  and  her  features 
handsome.  In  her  manners  she  was  bland,  affiiblc,  and  alTec- 
tionate.  When  a  pencil  and  a  piece  of  paper  were  given  to  iicr 
she  drew  a  deer  perfectly  at  a  few  strokes,  and,  what  was  most 
surprising,  she  began  at  the  i\\)  of  the  tail.  Both  she  and  the 
others  were  unwilling  to  be  sent  back  to  their  tril)e ;  hue 
Shanandithct  declared  they  would  be  killed  by  their  own  people 
as  traitors,  as  they  had  been  among  the  whites,  whom  they  con 
sidered  their  deadly  enemies.  She  also  said  that  her  tril)e  was 
reduced  to  a  very  small  numl)er.  These  Avcrc  the  last  of  the 
lied  Indians  seen  alive.  Shanandithet  died  in  the  hospital  in  St. 
John's,  of  consumption,  after  six  j^ears  of  civilized  life. 

A  final  effort  to  open  communications  with  the  Bethuks  was 
made  in  1828.  In  that  year  a  "  Boeothick  Society"  formed  at 
St.  John's,  having  for  its  ol)ject  the  civilization  of  the  aborigines, 
organized  an  expedition  to  the  part  of  the  island  supposed  to  l)c 
still  occupied  by  a  remnant  of  the  tribe.  Mr.  Cormack,  the 
traveller  who  had  crossed  the  island  in  1822,  headed  the  expe- 
dition, lie  took  with  him  three  Indians — one  an  intelligent 
man  of  the  Abenakie  tribe,  from  Canada  ;  the  second  an  elderly 
mountaineer  from  Labrador;  and  the  third  an  adventurous 
young  Micmac,  born  in  Newfoundland.  The  party  entered  the 
country  at  the  inlet  called  the  North  Arm,  at  the  mouth  of  the 


THE  ADORiaiXES. 


177 


IJivcr  Exploits,  and  took  a  north-west  course  to  Hall's  l>ay, 
Mil  arm  of  Xotre  Dame  Bay,  across  the  extremitlivs  of  Xew  IJay, 
r.;i(lii'er  Bay,  Seal  Bay,  etc.     On  the  fourth  day  after  their  de- 
parture, at  the  Oast  (Mid  of  P>ad<rpr  B>ay,  at  a  portairc  known  by 
llic  name  of  the  Indian  path,  they  found  traces  made  by  the  Ked 
I'.nlians,  evidently  in  the  spring  or  summer  of  the  preceding 
yciu'.     They  olisorved  ji  "canoc-rcst"  on   which  the  daubs  of 
red    ochro  and  fibrous  roots  of  trees   used  to  fasten  or  tie  it 
toLfctiier,  appeared  fresh.     Fragments  of  their  skiu-dresses,  a 
speiir-sliaft  eight  feet  in  length  and  r(^cently  made,  ochred  i)arts 
of  old  canoes,  and  a  few  otln'r  obj(U'ts,  were  found  si-attered 
iibout.     The  remains  of  eight  or  ten  mamateeks,  or  winter  wig- 
wams, each  iitted  to  contain  from  ten  to  twenty  persons,  were 
also  seen  close  together.     Besides  these  there  were  tlu;  remains 
of  summer  wigwams.     The  winter  wigwams  were  conical,  the 
t'niiiies  made  of  poles  covered  with  skins  or  birch-bark.     One 
(litlerence  between  the  Bethuk  wigwam  and  those  of  other  In- 
dians was  that  in  most  of  tlu;  former  there  were  small  hollows, 
like  nests,  dug  in  the  earth  around  the  firej)lace,  (wie  for  each 
person  to  sit  in.     "These  hollows,"  says  Cormack,  "are  gener- 
ally so  close  together,  and  also  so  close  to  the  tiroplaee  and  to 
the  sides  of  the  wigwams,  that  I  think  it  probable  these  people 
ha\e  been  accustomed  to  sleep  in  a  sitting  i)osture."     In  addi- 
tion, each  winter  wigwam  had  close  to  it  a  small  square-mouthed 
or  oblong  pit,  dug  into  the  earth  about  four  feet,  to  preserve 
their  stores.     Some  of  these  pits  were  lined  with  birch-rind. 
Cormack  also  found  in  this  Indian  village  the  remains  of  a  va- 
por bath,  which,  it  seems,  was  used  chietly  by  those  who  were 
sull'erino:  fron.  rheumatic  affections.     Their  method  of  making 
a  vii[)or  bath  was  the  same   as  that  practised  by  iiuiny  other 
>aviige  tribes.     Large  stones  were,  first  of  all,  made  very  hot 
ill  the  open  air  by  burn-ing  a  (piantity  of  wood  around  them. 
After  this  process  the  ashes  were  carefull}' removed,  and  a  hem- 
ispherical framework,  closely  covered    with   skias    to  exclude 
the  external  air,  was  fixed  over  the  stones.     The  patient  then 
iri'[)t  in  under  the  skins,  taking  with  him  a  birch-rind  bucket 
of  water,  and  a  small  bark  dish  to  dip  it  out.     By  thus  pouring 
water  on  the  hot  stones  he  could  raise  the  steam  at  pleasure. 


I! 


!    I   • 


'       i\ 


11! 


I    : 


i\     H 


178 


NE  WFO  UXBLAXD. 


Failing  tO  jrot  any  further  intelligence  regarding  the  Red  In- 
dians at  Hall's  Bay,  Connack  decided  on  jn'oceeding  to  Kcd  [n- 
dian  Lake,  h()|)ing  that  at  that  noted  rendezvous  Ik;  shoidd  at  lii-t 
Hnd  the  ohjeet  of  his  search.  After  a  march  of  ten  days  over 
a  marshy  country,  during  which  no  traces  of  the  red  men  were 
seen,  ho  chtained  a  glimpse  of  this  si)lendid  sheet  of  water, 
more  than  thirty-five  miles  in  hmgth  and  five  to  six  in  hreadth. 
From  the  hills  at  the  northern  end  of  the  lake  he  looked  ddwii 
on  its  waters  with  feelings  of  admiration.  But  no  canoe  could 
be  discovered  moving  on  its  placid  surface  ;  no  human  soiuids 
W(M"e  heard  ;  no  smoke  from  wigwams  mounted  into  the  aiv. 
Silence,  deei)  as  death,  reigned  around.  Cormack  and  his  party 
were  the  first  Europeans  who  had  seen  Ked  Indian  Lal^c  in 
an  um'ro/.en  state,  only  one  or  two  parties  having  preceded 
them  in  the  depth  of  winter  by  way  of  the  Exi)loits  River. 
The  view  was  solemn  and  majestic.  "  AVe  approache(l  tlic 
lake,"  sa3's  Cormack,  "with  hope  and  caution;  but  found,  to 
our  mortification,  that  the  IJed  Indians  had  deserted  it  for  some 
years  i)ast.  My  party  had  been  so  excited,  so  sanguine,  and  >o 
determined  to  obtain  an  interview  of  some  kind  with  these  peo- 
ple, that,  on  discovering  from  appearances  everywhere  around 
us  that  the  Red  Indians,  the  terror  of  the  Europeans  as  well  as 
the  other  Indian  inhal)itants  of  Xewfoundland,  no  longer  exi-ted, 
the  si)irits  of  one  and  all  were  deei)ly  affected.  The  old  moun- 
taineer was  particularly  overcome." 

The  party,  he  tells  us,  si)ent  several  "melancholy"  days 
wanderin<2;  around  the  borders  of  the  east  end  of  the  lake. 
Everywhere  they  met  with  indications  that  this  had  long  l»een 
the  head-cjuarters  cf  the  tribe  in  the  days  when  they  eiiioycil 
peace  and  security.  On  several  places  by  the  margin  of  tlic 
lake  they  found  small  clusters  of  winter  and  summer  wigwam- 
in  ruins;  also  a  wooden  buildiuiz,  constructed  for  drvini:'  iiiul 
smoking  venison,  still  perfect ;  and  a  small  log-house,  i)rol)al)ly 
a  storehouse,  in  a  dila[)idated  condition.  Among  the  bushes 
on  the  beach  they  lighted  on  the  wreck  of  a  larger  handsome, 
birch  canoe,  twenty-two  feet  in  length,  and  evidently  l)ut  little 
used.     The  probal)ility  is,  that,  after  being  wrecked  it  had  hei'ii 


1 II 


THE  ABORIGiyES. 


171) 


cast  up  by  the  waves,  the  people  who  were  in  it  luiviii-^  per- 
ished. 

The  most  interesting  objects  met  with  were  the  rejjositories  for 
their  dead,  — one  trait  of  the  Bethuks  havinj^  been  great  re.si)cct 
for  the  remains  of  tlieir  ch'parted.  It  ap[)ears,  from  Corniack's 
account,  that  there  were  anicjng  them  four  modes  of  disposing 
of  the  dead,  according  to  the  rank  and  character  of  tiie  })er>ons 
ontoml>ed.  One  of  the  burying-piaces  met  with  "rcseml)hMl  a 
hut  ten  feet  by  eight  or  nine  and  four  or  live  feet  high  in  the 
centre,  floored  with  square  poles,  the  roof  covered  with  rinds 
of  trees,  and  in  every  way  well  secured  against  the  weather  in- 
side and  the  intrusions  of  wild  beasts."' 

On  entering  this  structure  their  curiosity  was  raised  to  the 
highest  i)itch.  They  found  the  bodies  of  two  grown  i)ersons 
laid  out  at  full  length  on  the  floor,  wrapped  round  with  deer- 
skins. But  what  most  astonished  them  was  the;  discovery  of  a 
white  deal  cofiin  containing  a  skeleton  neatly  shrouded  in  white 
muslin.  "This  was  the  cofiin  of  Mary  March,  which  had  been 
carried  by  some  members  of  her  tribe  from  the  sea-coast  to 
this  solitude.  In  the  building  were  also  found  two  small  wooden 
images  of  a  man  and  a  woman,  sujjposed  to  represent  husband 
and  wife,  and  a  small  doll,  which  perhaps  rei)resented  their 
child."  Several  small  models  of  their  canoes,  two  models  of 
boats,  an  iron  axe,  a  bow,  a  quiver  of  arrows,  were  placed  l)y 
the  side  of  JNIary  ^March's  husl)and,  and  two  tire-stones  (nodules 
of  iron  pyrites,  from  which  they  produce  Hre  l)y  striking  them 
together)  lay  at  his  head.  There  were  also  various  kinds  of 
culinary  utensils,  neatly  made  of  birch-rind,  and  ornanuuited." 

TliL!  second  mode  of  sepulture  observed  here  was  similar  to 
that  of  the  Western  Indians  of  the  sources  of  the  Mississippi. 
Th(!  body  of  the  dec(!ased  had  l)een  wrapped  in  birch-rind,  and 
with  his  })roi)erty,  placed  on  a  sort  of  scallold.  al)()ut  four  feet 
and  a  half  from  the  ground.  The  scatlbld  was  foruird  of 
lour  posts,  a])out  seven  feet  high,  fixed  per[)endicularly  in  the 
ground,  to  sustain  a  kind  of  crib,  Ave  feet  and  a  half  in  length 
I'V  four  in  breadth,  with  a  floor  made  of  sumUI  souared  beams 
laid  close  together  horizontally,  and  on  which  the  body  and 
property  rested. 


1 

i 

^' 

il 

' 

1' 

•m 

*:. 

i 

!•     I 


;:'  |;:| 

1 1  '  I ^K 

M 

.*■? 


IHO 


NE  WFO  UXDLAXD. 


n-'.i. 


A  third  modo  was,  whon  the  body  was  l)ent  toi^otlicr,  wrapped 
ill  l»irch-riiid,  aiwl  was  onclosod  in  a  kind  of  l>()x,  on  the 
irrouiid.  llio  1)()X  was  inado  of  f^mall  squarod  posts,  laid  on  (•.•kIi 
other  liorii^ontaily,  and  notched  at  tho  corners,  to  make  theiii 
meet  dose.  It  was  a1)0iit  four  feet  by  three  and  two  and  a  h;ilf 
feet  dee{),  and  well  lined  with  birch-rind,  to  exclude  tlic 
weather.     The  body  lay  on  tho  riirht  side. 

A  fourth  and  more  common  nuxlc  of  buryinir,  was  to  wiap 
the  body  in  birch-rind,  and  cover  it  over  with  si  heap  of  stone<. 
on  the  surface  of  tlic^  ground,  in  some  retired  spot.  Sometimes 
the  body,  thus  wrapped  up,  was  put  a  foot  or  two  under  the  sur- 
face, and  the  spot  covered  with  stones.  In  one  place,  where  tho 
ground  was  sandy  and  soft,  the  graves  were  found  deeper,  and  no 
stones  were  placed  over  them. 

(\)rmack's  party  returned  by  way  of  the  River  Exploits, 
which  Hows  from  Ked  Indian  Lake,  this  part  of  its  course  beini: 
about  seventy  miles.  Cormack  savs,  "  Down  this  noble  river 
the  steady  perseverance  and  intrepidity  of  my  Indians  cairicil 
me  on  rafts  in  four  <lays,  to  accomplish  which  otherwise  would 
have  re(|uired  piobaidy  two  weeks.  AVhat  arrests  the  attenlion 
most,  while  gliding  down  tho  stream,  is  the  extent  of  the  Indiiui 
fences  to  entraj)  the  doer.  They  extend  from  tho  lake  down- 
wards continuously,  on  the  banks  of  tho  "iver,  'M  least  thirty 
miles.  There  are  openings  left  here  and  there  in  them,  for  the 
animals  to  go  through  and  swim  across  the  river ;  and  at  these 
places  the  Indians  wore  stationed,  to  kill  them  in  the  water  with 
spears,  out  of  their  canoes,  as  at  tho  lake.  Here,  then,  con- 
necting these  fences  with  those  on  tho  north-west  side  of  tlio 
lake,  are  at  least  forty  miles  of  country,  easterly  and  westerly, 
preiiared  to  interce[)t  all  the  deer  that  pass  that  way,  in  their 
periodical  migrations.  It  was  melancholy  to  cont(Mnpiate  the 
gigantic,  yet  fee])le  etl'orts  of  a  whole  primitive  nution,  in  their 
anxietv  to  provide  subsistence,  forsaken  and  <roin<x  to  decav. 
There  must  have  been  hundreds  of  tho  Red  Indians,  and  that 
not  many  years  ago,  to  have  kept  up  those  fences  and  poiuid'^." 

With  Cormack's  expedition  tho  last  hope  of  Hnding  the 
Bethuks  was  abandoned.  Either  they  were  gradually  ihiiuuil 
in  numbers,  by  wars,  disease,  and  Avant,  till  at  length,  })ci'h;ii)s 


THE  ABORIGIXES. 


LSI 


on  the  banks  of  the  Ivod  Indian  Lake,  the  last  Bothuk  looked 
(l('sj)airin<^ly  on  the  rnins  of  his  race  and  the  jrraves  of  his 
fathers,  and  then,  foUlin<^  his  <h'ei"-skin  robes  around  him,  fol- 
l()\vc(l  his  aneestors  to  the  happy  hnntinir-<rrounds  of  the  hrre- 
atUT.  Or  it  may  be  a  little  forlorn  band,  relics  ot"  a  onee 
numerous  nation,  took  a  last  mournful  look  at  the  der^olate  M-ene, 
and  then  departed  for  some  unknown  retreat,  where  the  nun- 
derous  arm  of  the  white  man  eould  not  reach  them,  but  where, 
with  the  fatality  that  follows  their  doomed  race,  extinction 
gradually  overtook  them. 

This  sketch  of  the  tribe  extends  over  a  peritxl  of  three  hun- 
clre<l  and  thirty  years,  eonnnencinir  in  1497  and  terminatinir  in 
iNi'S.  A  few  of  their  peculiarities  and  customs  riMnain  to  be 
luietly  noticed.  Their  nu'thod  of  kindlinjji;  tire  by  .strikin;.' 
together  two  pieces  of  iron  i)yrites,  was  not  i)eculiar  to  the 
Bethnks,  as  the  use  of  these  "tire-stones"  was  known  to  other 
tril)es  of  the  North  American  Indians.  But  their  custom  of 
niakiuij:  small  hollow-like  nests  around  the  fireplaces  of  their 
wigwams,  dug:  into  the  earth,  one  for  each  })erson  to  sit  and 
probably  slee})  in,  was,  so  far  as  is  known,  peculiar  to  the 
Bel  hides.  These  oblong  hollows  were  lined  with  tender  branches 
of  pine  (white),  fir,  and  dry  moss,  and  doubtless  added  greatly 
to  their  comfort  in  the  cold  nights  of  winter.  Their  bow>  weri.' 
made  of  sycamore  or  mountain-ash,  and  were  the  and  a  half 
feel  in  length,  having  strings  of  deer's  sinews.  The  arrows 
were  made  of  well-seasoned  pine  (white),  or  sycamore,  and 
Were  li^ht  and  i)erfectlv  straight.  Their  intercourse  with  the 
whites  su|)[)lied  them  with  scra[)s  of  iron,  out  of  whii-Ji  they 
made  a  two-edged  lance,  about  six  inches  long,  for  the  ai'row- 
liead.  This  was  let  into  a  eleft  on  the  top  of  the  slia!"t  and 
-ecured  there  by  a  thread  of  deer's  sinew.  T'he  stock  wa>  al»oui 
three  feet  in  length,  and  was  feathered  by  the  (juill  of  the  goose 
or  of  the  bald-headed  eagle.  Their  deer-fences  were  made  l>y 
telling  the  trees  along  the  ridge  of  th(\  river's  bank  wilhoui 
tli()|)])ing  the  trunks  (piite  asunder,  taking  care  thai  they  fell 
parallel  with  the  river,  each  tree  having  been  guided  si;  a^  to 
t'oineide  with  and  fall  upon  the  last.  Gai)s  were  filled  u[)  by 
dri\  ing  in  stakes  and  interweaving  the  branches  and  limbs  of 


•| 


I 


% 


I! 


m 


M 


182 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


other  trees.  They  were  raised  to  the  height  of  six,  oiirht.  or 
even  ten  feet,  as  tlie  place  requirc-d,  and  were  not  to  Ik-  forced 
or  leaped  l,y  the  largest  deer.  Their  wigwams  were  conical, 
the  Imisc  being  i)roportioned  to  the  nund)er  of  the  faniil}',  wiioso 
beds  foi-nied  a  circle  of  nest-like  hollows  around  the  tircplacc. 
The  frame  of  the  wigwam  was  composed  of  poles  and  covered 
with  birch-rind,  which  was  overlaid,  sheet  upon  sheet,  in  the 
manner  of  tiles,  and  secured  in  its  place  by  outside;  ])()les. 
This  ])erfectly  sheltered  the  whole  ai)artment  except  the  tire- 
place,  over  which  was  left  an  opening  to  carry  off'  the  smoke. 
The  central  tire,  spreading  its  heat  on  all  sides,  made  the  ii[)art- 
ment  quite  warm.  Vv'here  materials  and  labor  were  })l('ntit'ul 
one  of  these  wiiiwams  could  be  conn)lcted  in  an  hour,  and  vet 
so  durable  were  they  that  they  have  l)een  found  standing  after 
a  la[)se  of  thirty  years  on  Ked  Indian  Lake.  Besides  wigwams, 
they  had  square  habitations,  one  side  of  which  was  made  of 
trees  well  scpiared  and  ])laced  horizontally  one  on  the  other, 
the  seams  lu'ing  calkcl  with  moss.  The  other  three  sides 
were  made  of  upright  st  ids,  the  seams  being  stuffed  with  deer- 
skins. The  beams  and  rafters  were  neatly  executed,  the  roof 
being  in  the  form  of  a  low  pyramid. 

According  to  Mr.  Lloyd  the  liethuk  canoe  was  peculiar  to 
these  Indians.  "The  })rinciple  on  which  it  is  constructed," 
he  says,  "is  perhaps  nowhere  (>lsc  to  be  met  with.  It  has,  in  a 
way,  no  bottom  at  all,  the  side  beginning  at  the  very  keel  and 
tVom  thence  rumnng  uj)  in  a  straight  line  to  the  edge  or  gun- 
wale. A  transverse  section  of  it  at  any  part  whatever  niahcs 
an  acute  angle,  only  tliat  it  is  not  shari)cned  to  r  perfect  angul.i'' 
point,  but  is  somewhat  rounded  to  take  in  tJie  slight  rod  wliidi 
serves  by  way  of  a  keel.  The  rod  is  thickest  in  the  middle 
(being  in  that  part  about  the  sizi;  of  the  handle  of  a  coinnuMi 
hatchet ),  tai)ering  each  way  and  ti'rminating  with  the  slender 
curved  extremities  of  \\\k\  canoe."  "The  peeuliiir  shai)e  of  their 
canoes  may  be  owing,  as  suggested  to  me  by  Mr^  .John  Lvans, 
Pn^sidcnt  of  the  (leological  Society,  to  an  adaptation  of  lorni  to 
circumstances  ;  the  greater  hcMght  of  the  gunwale,  and  the  curv- 
i»ig  up  of  the  ends  of  the  canoe,  as  compared  with  tlu>  ordinary 
birch-bark  canoe  of  Canada,  would  render  it  less  liable  to  shi[i  a 


THE  ADORIGIXES. 


183 


r^cw,  while  its  Y-shaped  section  would  iucreiisc  its  capability  as 
a  sailing-craft  in  moderate  'weather.  The  fact  of  paddles, 
arrow-heads,  and  other  articles  having  been  found  on  thi'  Funk 
Islands,  more  than  thirty  miles  from  the  mainland,  a])i)ears  to 
show  that  the  Indians  could  travel  a  considerable  distance  out 
to  sea  in  tlu'ir  canoes." 

Tile  implements  and  utensils  found  in  various  parts  t)f  the 
island  consist  clii*'!!/  of  mortar-shajjcd  vessels,  spear  and  arrow 
heads,  gouges,  and  rude  :ixes.  They  are  all  fashioiie('  tVoni 
stones  of  various  degre(!s  of  hardness.  In  l<S7r>  a  diseo\<'ryof 
Indian  stone  implements  was  made  on  Long  Island,  IMacentiti 
Iliy,  at  sonu!  eighteen  inrl:*  s  underneath  the  surface,  there 
having  bci-n  a  growth  of  stoii  timber  over  the  spot  where  they 
were  found.  'JMiey  consisted  of  arrow  and  spear  heads,  gouges, 
t(»niahawl<s,  rubbing  and  sharpening  stones,  and  a  pot  shaped 
out  of  serpentine!.  The  arrow  and  .:pear  heails  were  in  evi'ry 
stage  of  manufacture,  from  tin;  rude  outline  roughly  chipped 
out  of  the  raw  material  to  the  perfected  and  highly  polished 
implemenl ,  suggesting  the  idea  that  here  there  ha<l  been  a  manu- 
l;u  lory  for  the  i)ro(luction  of  these  stone  implements.  AI)out 
one-third  of  the  whole  are  j)olished.  Some  ai)[)eared  to  be 
fiiilun-s  which  had  been  cast  aside.  A  thorough  exi)loration  of 
this  loi'ality  might  lead  to  a  discovery  of  many  more  of  their 
relies. 

As  to  their  personal  appearance  the  Bethuk  men  wimc  of 
the  ordinary  stature,  and  aI)out  live  feet  ten  iiiehes  in  height. 
Their  hair  was  coarst;  and  black,  and  the  men  h.'t  it  fail  over  their 
faces.  Their  cpnii)lexion  was  lighter  than  that  of  the  Micmacs. 
TluMr  dress  consiste(l  of  two  dri'ssed  deer-skins,  which  were 
thrown  over  their  shoulders,  sometimes  having  sleeves,  ]^)ugh 
moi'casons  of  deer-skin  covered  their  ii'ct.  Tlu  '.!  is  nothing  to 
show  that  they  had  any  religions  cultiu'e  or  mode  of  worship, 
and  the  vocabidary  whii'h  has  been  preserved  does  not  contain 
any  word  to  t^xpress  the  idea  of  a  Deity. 

The  following  Nocabulary  may  i)rove  interesting  to  philolo- 
gists who  are  acijuainted  with  the  Indian  tongues  of  North 
America.      It  was  supplied  by  Mary  ]\hirch,  and  rei'orde(l  by 


«  ! . 


;  '"•      ifl 


i 


:  I 


ifF''   ;  !  ( 


184 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


the  licv.  John  Lci<rh.     The  original  is  in  the  possession  of  a 
<jrentlcman  in  St.  John's  :  — 


VocAnuLAiiY  OF  Mary  Marcii's  Language. 


Presented  to  Mu.  Joun  Tey 

a. 

Arms Meinayet 

Arrow,     ....  Doyernat 


B. 


Boy  ...  . 
Breast  .  .  . 
Bonnet  .  .  . 
Beaver  .  .  . 
Boat  and  vessel 
Buttons  and  inont 
Berries  .  . 
Blanket  .  . 
Bear  .  .  . 
Blood .  .  . 
Boat  .  .  . 
Bite  .  .  . 
Blow-tlie-Nose 
Birch  bark  . 
Body  .     .     . 


.  BukushamGsh 
.  Botfoniot  or  a 
.  Al)odoneek 
.  Manishet 
.   Adotlie 
•y  Afjaniet 
.  Biljidigeniidic 
.  Manavooit 


C. 


Clothes  . 
CodHsh  . 
Cattle  —  cow 

horses  . 
Cat,  dottiest 
Cat,  niartiti 
Canoo .     . 
Can  or  ju;; 
Come  Iiither 
Candle      . 
Capelan  . 
Cry      .     . 
Comb  .     . 
Chin    .     . 
Child  .     . 
Cut      .     . 
Comet 
Clouds 


and 


TON  by  tiie  Kkv.  John  Leigh. 
D. 
Deer Osweet 


Deer's  horns 
Dog    .     .     . 


llagorun 
Manimasaveet   Cor 

Maminooseniit, 

J.  v.). 
Moeshwadet 


Einoethook 


Drawinjf  .     .     . 
Dojrwood,  or 
mountain  ash 

Duck Boodowit 

Duck  and  Drakes  .  Mameshet 
Dancing  ....  Badisut 

E. 


Uwa.shuwet 

Eye     .     .     . 

.     .  Guinya 

I,!,'gol)aHth 

Ksf?     ■     •     • 

.  Debuic 

Biiliaskawik 

Eat      '.     .     . 

.  Odoit 

Bo.shoodik 

Eyebrow .     . 

.     .  Marmeuk 

Sliegainik 

Eibow      .     . 

.  ^loocus 

Boyish 

Ear      .     .     . 

.     .  i\Iooshaman 

Iladdabothic 

F. 

Eire     .     .     . 

.  Woodidt 

Fish-hook     . 

.  Adotiiook 

Tliengyani 

Feathers  .     . 

.  Abobidress 

Bobboosoret 

Fall     .     .     . 

.  Koshet 

Fork    .     .     . 

.     .  Et  hen  wit 

Nethabc'  ! 

Fishing  lin<!. 

.  Edrtt  or  0 

Abidei'sl   .ok 

Flying      .     . 

.     .  Miaoth 

Adidisli 

Tapathook 

0. 

Motheryet 

Girl     .     .     . 

.  Emamoosct 

Thoovct 

Gloves      .     . 

.   Gt)sedeek 

Sliahotli 
Sliamoth 

Gut\     .     .     . 

.  Adamadret 

(ilass  .     .     . 

.  lladibiet 

Matln'oduo 

Go  out      .     . 

.   Fuano 

Moidi'Hsu 
r  'tin 

Gull     .     .     . 

.   Asson 

Gimlet      .     . 

.  Qtiadrunuek 

linmfimooset,  j.  r. 

Grindstone   . 

.  Aguiitiioovet 

Oilislitiik 

Gunpowder  . 

.  Baasotlmut 

Anin 

Goose  . 

.   ()(letis')f)k 

Berroic/i  or  A: 

Good-night   . 

.     .  Betheok 

i|i 


THE  ABORIGINES. 


185 


Get  up 

.     .     .    ;  a^yess  or  G 

Gaping     . 

.     .     .  A'    Miik 

Groaning 

.     .     .  Clieashit 

Gooseberry  .     .     .  Jiggamint 

H. 

Hand  . 

.     .     .     .  Mcwet 

Hair     . 

.     .     .     .  Drona 

House 

.     .     .  Mamruateek 

Hammer  . 

,  Matliuis 

Heart.     . 

.     .     ,   Jiogodoret 

Hare  .     . 

.     .      .    Odusweet 

HusbanJ. 

.     .     .   Zathrook 

Hoop  .     . 

.     .     .  Waine 

Head  .     . 

.     .     .  Govathin- 

keatliut 

H'u'cougli 

.     .     .  Madyrut 

Herring 

.     .     .     .  Washemcsh 

I. 

Ice Ozeru 

Indian  (red)      .     .  IJeathook 

Indian  cup    .     .     .  Shucodimit 

Iron Mowagesnite  or  e 

Islands     ....  Mummaslieek 

K. 

Knife Nine 

Knee    .     .     ...     .  lludamishit 

Kneeling  ....  Acustliibit 

Kiss Widumi/e  or  ik 


Lobster 


Odjet 
Hobbiduishemet 


Mammadronit  or  It 
Aduse 


Lamp 

Lord  bird  (or  liar 
le([uin  duck  ?) 

lA'g 

Lead Gooslieben 

Lip Ooisii 

Lie  down      .  .  IJituwait 

Louse .....  Kusebcet 

M. 

Man Uukasbnian       (or 

Hooksliinion,  J.r.) 

Mouth Mameshook 

Moon Kuisaiid  Wasliew- 

iHsh 


Mosquito       (black 

fly) Slu'ma-bojxostuc 

N. 

Nose Gun  or  geen 

Net Gij-'garemanet 

Necklace       .     .     .  Bctbec 
Night    and     dark- 
ness     ....  Washeu 
Nipper  (niosfmlto)  Bedadrook 

Nails Quisli 

Neck  and  throat    .  Tedc^heet 

O. 

Oil Kniet 

Otter Edrc  or  ee 

Ochre Odemet 

Oar Podibeac 


Tuppics 
Tuiipy 


Mammasaveet 
Manniiooseinich, 

J.  1'. 
Dosoinite 


(I'tar- 


I'in      .     , 
Partridge 

migaii)      .     . 
I'itcber  and  cuj) 
rigeon(a  sea  l)ird)   I5ol)l)idish 
rutlin       ....  Gwashawit 


Zoswei't 
Manune 


R. 


Uocks . 
Kain    . 
Running 
Ifowing 


Shoes  . 
Smoke 
Seal  . 
Shaking 
Spoon  . 
Sun 

Sit  down 
Sleep  . 
Saw 
Sails    . 
Shovel 


Ahmee 
Hathue 
Wotiiamashct 
Osavate 


S. 


Moosin 
Ilosilie  or  a 
r.idoooU 
Maliiic-I5ide,-oi)k 
Adadiiirw//i  or  iite 
Kuis   and   Manga. 
ron//isli  or  )( 

.Vliless 

Iseddweet 

l)eddowi'et 

l'",.ialiallio(dv 

Godawik 


186 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


I',  t. 


Stockings     .     .     . 

Gossctt,  gasaek 

Thank  you   . 

.  Thine 

Sword      .     .     .     . 

Bidisoni 

Thund)     .     . 

.  Itwt'cna 

Silk  liaiKlkcrcliiuf . 

Egibidinish 

Tongue    .     . 

.  Memasuk 

Sci.^sors    .     .     .     . 

Ozegeen 

Throw      .     , 

.   rugathoiti" 

Soru  throiit  .     .     . 

Anailrick 

Thread     .     . 

.   Meroohish 

Snipe 

Aoujct 

Thunder  .     .     . 

.  Baroodisick 

Swiimninf^    .     .     . 

Thoowidgee 

Sual  suiilveii.     .     . 

Apparet     o     bide 
sook 

W. 

Scratch    .     .     .     . 

Bashbct 

Woman   .     . 

.  Emamoose,       Im- 

Sc'iillop  or  Frill 

Go  wet 

mrmioose,  .i.p. 

Snet'/irif?.     .     .     . 

Adjith 

Water      .     . 

.   Ebanthoo 

Siiitriiiif    .     .     .     . 

Awoodet 

Watch      .     . 

.   Kuis 

Shouliler.     .     .     . 

Jfunegemethon 

Woodpecker 

.     .   Sheboliowit 

Standing  .     .     .     . 

Kingiabit 

Wife    .     ,     . 

.   Oosuck 

Shaking  hands  .     . 

Meeman     Monas- 

Walk  .     .     . 

.  Woothyat 

thus 

Warming  yours 

elf   Obosiu'en 

Stars   .     .     .     .     . 

Adenishit 

Wind  .     .     . 

.   Gidyeathuc 

'I 

\ 

Wolf  .     .     . 

.  Moisamadrook 

Teeth 

Botoniet      onther. 
niayet 

NUMEIJALS. 

Trap 

Shabathoo»-et  or  t 

One     .     .     . 

.     .  Gathet 

Tronscrs .     .     .     . 

Mowead 

Two    .     .     . 

.   Adasic 

'J'roiit 

Dattoineish 

Three .     .     . 

.     .  Thedesic 

Ticklass      (a     sea 

Four    .     .     . 

.   Abodoesic 

liird)     .     .     .     . 

Gotheyet 

Five    .     ,     . 

.  Nijeek  or  c 

Turr  (a  sea  bird)  . 

Geonet 

Six.     .     .     . 

,     .  liigadosic 

Tii\ker  (a  sea  bird) 

Osthonk 

Seven .     .     . 

.  Oo-ilosook 

Tickle    (?   a   rapid 

Eight  .     .     . 

.     .   Aodoosook 

current  in  a  nar- 

Nine   .     .     . 

.     .  Yeothoduc 

row  channel) 

Kadniishuitc 

Ten     .     .     . 

.     .  Tlieant 

,:<  ■,  ii': 


MANNERS  AND   CUSTOMS. 


187 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

MANNERS   AND   CUSTOMS. 

Two  famous  races  —  Physical  and  social  characteristics  —  An  orderly  and  amia- 
ble people — The  middle  and  uijper  classes  —  Life  among  the  fishermen  — 
"  The  credit  system  "  —  Amusements  and  pastimes. 

The  present  population  of  Newfoundland  is  derived  entirely 
from  the  Saxon  and  Celtie  stocks,  blending  the  strength,  endur- 
ance, and  perseverance  of  the  one  with  the  versatile  rapidity, 
hrilliancv,  and  imajjinativeness  of  the  other.  This  l)lending  of 
two  races  on  the  same  soil,  in  proportions  not  far  from  equal, 
has  resulted  in  producing  a  hardy,  energetic,  industrious  people, 
willi  many  of  the  best  qualities  of  the  stocks  from  which  they 
originated.  Reared  in  one  of  the  healthiest  climates  in  the 
world,  and  engaged  mainly  in  open-air  employments,  they  are 
physically  as  tine  a  race  as  can  be  found,  with  plenty  of  iron  in 
their  blood,  able  to  "  toil  terril)ly,"  and  well  titted  to  encounter 
the  world's  rough  work.  We  have  depicted  the  early  settlers, 
in  these  pages,  and  the  hardships  they  had  to  encoimter,  fight- 
ing cold  and  hunger  in  their  "tilts,"  battling  with  the  ice-tloes, 
drawing  a  scanty  subsistence  from  the  stormy  ocean,  and  pursu- 
ing their  ill-remunerated  labors  amid  discouragements  of  all 
kinds.  But  in  ho  struggle  with  dilliculties  they  gained  energy, 
courage,  self-reliance,  —  all  that  constitutes  true  manhood  ;  and 
they  transmitted  these,  as  an  inheritance,  to  their  [)osterity, 
who  have  now  "entered  into  their  lal)ors,"  and  find  their  lot 
cast  amid  hap[)icr  surroundings.  According  to  Samson's  riddle, 
"Out  of  the  eater  came  forth  meat,  and  out  of  the  strong  came 
t'orth  sweetness."  But  it  is  not  aloiK^  in  physical  (lualities  that 
the  Xewfoundlanders  hold  a  high  place.  Their  intellectual  de- 
V('l()})ment  has  not  been  luilped  by  education,  as,  under  ha})pier 
circumstances,  it  might  have  been,  so  that  their  contributions  to 


V. 


It 


'  ^.»^ 


188 


NE  WFO  UXDLAXD. 


the  mental  wealth,  or  literary  or  scientific  gains  of  the  worUl, 
are  yet  to  come.  In  tlie  earlier  periods  of  their  history  too 
often 

"  Chill  penury  repressed  their  noble  rage, 
And  froze  the  genial  current  of  the  soul." 


Hi 


The  struggle  for  the  daily  l)read  rendered  mental  pursuits  ;ui 
imi)ossil)ility.  Now,  however,  that  material  pros})erity  lias 
dawned,  and  many  have  attained  comlbrt  and  even  wealth, 
leisure  is  found  for  the  cultivation  of  the  mind;  and  when  yoinig 
Newfoundlanders  "o  to  other  countries  for  the  hiulu'r  education 
not  yet  attainable  at  home,  they  ireciuentl}'  carry  oil'  the  higlnst 
honors  at  school  and  college.  Indeed,  any  one  who  comes  in 
contact  with  the  [)eople  will  be  struck  with  their  mental  ijuick- 
ness  and  intellectual  a^jtitude.  When  education,  which  is  .^till 
in  its  infancy,  though  making  hopeful  progress,  has  done  its 
work,  there  can  Ijc  little  doubt  that  the  descendants  of  the  lisJu  r- 
mcn  who  fought  tin;  billows  and  drank  in  the  health-giving  sea- 
breezes  will  be  found  competing  successfully  with  the  foioiiiost 
brain-workers  of  the  coining  age. 

As  to  their  moral  qualities,  it  is  admitted  on  all  hands  liiai-  :i 
more  orderly,  law-abiding  population  cannot  I)e  tbund  elsewhere. 
Serious  crime  is  very  rare,  and  the  i)roportion  of  olh'udcrs 
against  the  law  to  the  whole  i)()pulation  is  very  small.  I'or- 
uierly  intoxicating  drinks  were  cheai)  and  abundant,  and  were 
largely  indulged  in  by  a  people  who  had  few  other  enjoy- 
ments ;  but  as  they  have  risen  in  the  scale  of  comfort  ar.il  ti\il- 
izalion,  drunken  habits  have  (lisapi)earcd,  and,  as  a  whole,  ihey 
are  now  temperate,  and  a  large  numl)er  are  total  abstainers. 
Their  kindness  and  hospitality  to  strangers  who  \isit  (he 
coimtry  are  proverbial.  A  traveller  finds  himself  at  once  at 
home  in  Newlbundland,  whether  in  the  capital  or  tlic  nioi'e  dis- 
tant settlements,  and  all  vie  with  each  other  in  siiowiiig  him 
attention  and  kintlness.  (^uiet,  orderly,  church-going,  altaclicd 
to  their  religious  faith,  the  [x'ople  live  peaceably  among  tluiu- 
selves,  and  outbreaks  of  bigotry  or  fanaticism  are  now  almost 
indiiiown.  Kindni'ss  to  the  [)oor  and  indigent  is  a  marked 
feature   in  the   character  of   the   people;  and    when,   through 


!l 


MANNERS  AND   CUSTOMS. 


189 


fiiiliiro  of  the  precarious  fisheries,  distress  occurs,  the  fishermen 
help  ciich  other  to  the  full  extent  of  their  means,  and  often 
sliju'c  to  the  hist  morsel  with  those  more  indiirent  than  them- 
selves.  (.'harltable  societies  for  the  relief  of  the  poor  arc 
orufani/ed  in  the  capital  and  chief  towns.  Facilities  for  ohtain- 
iiii;:  education  arc  now  nuiltii)lyinir,  and  a  taste  for  literature  is 
spreading.  The  Atheuicum  in  St.  John's  has  done  excellent 
service  hy  providing  a  good  i)ul)lic  library  and  reading-room, 
and  securing  the  delivery  of  a  course  of  public  lectures  Civcli 
winter.  The  Catholic  Literary  Institute  is  a  similar  institution, 
and  has  also  a  course  of  winter  lectures.  In  the  larger  towns, 
such  as  IIarl)or  Grace  and  lirigus,  there  are  also  literary 
societies ;  and  these  liijht-radiators  will  increase.  Music  is 
widely  cultivated  in  the  capital,  and  the  concerts  of  the  choral 
society  and  others  attract  crowded  audiences. 

There  is,  of  course,  no  distinction  of  I'anks  other  than  that 
arising  from  wealth,  or  ofiicial  or  professional  position.  The 
upper  class  is  composed  of  the  officials  of  Government,  mem- 
))ors  of  the  Legislature,  judges,  clergy,  merchants,  doctors, 
lawyers,  and  wealthly  individuals  who  may  have  retired  from 
business.  The  middle  class  is  conii)osed  of  the  newer  mer- 
chants, shopkeepers,  tradesmen,  farmers,  and  that  large  class 
who,  by  industry  and  economy,  have  acquired  a  modest  compe- 
tence, and  now  look  to  Xewfoundland  as  their  home,  and  that  of 
their  children.  Happily  this  elass,  well  named  "  the  shield  of 
society,"  is  increasing  rapidly,  and  making  its  influence  felt 
more  extensively. 

The  large  mercantile  firms  engag(!d  in  the  exporting  business 
are  about  twelve  in  number,  ten  of  them  being  in  St.  John's. 
Tli(^  older  members  of  these  firms  for  the  most  part  reside  in 
Ih'itain,  and  junior  })artners  or  agents  conduct  the  busin<!ss. 
The  merchants  of  Xewfoundland  are  a  highly  respcctal)le  and  in- 
telligent class  of  men,  many  of  whom  have  realized  considera- 
ble wealth,  and  their  standing  in  the  conunercial  world  is  vcsry 
liigli.  Sir  Richard  Bonnycasth^  says  of  the  merchant  of  for- 
mer days:  "lie  came  to  Newfoundland,  not  wi'h  any  Idea  of 
living  there,  but  to  amass.  In  this  new  Sea  i'eru,  sufliclent 
wealth  to  enable  him  to  return  to  the  scenes  o\  home  and  youth." 


k  •: 


I 


J 


Hi 


190 


NE  WFOUNDLAND. 


.1  •  1. 


,,       \ 


This  has  undoubtedly  been  one  of  the  great  drnvbaeks  to  the 
prosperity  of  the  country.  The  wealth  amassed  in  the  island 
did  not  remain  as  capital  to  extend  its  business,  develop  its  re- 
sources, and  be  invested  in  agriculture,  buildings,  and  oihcr 
improvements.  It  went  to  enrich  other  lands,  and  (Icvcloj) 
branches  of  trade  elsewhere.  The  interest  felt  in  the  prospcrii  v 
and  advancement  of  the  country,  by  non-resident  capitalists, 
could  not  be  the  same  as  in  case  of  those  who  regarded  the 
country  as  their  own  permanent  al)ode  and  that  of  their  pos- 
terity. It  is  not  wonderful  tlien  to  tind,  as  we  have  shown  in 
other  i)ortions  of  this  work,  that  the  merchants  of  former  days, 
as  u  class,  resisted  all  changes  and  frowned  on  all  innovations. 
Happily  a  different  spirit  animates  many  of  this  class  in  the 
present  day,  though  nmong  the  older  school  the  former  tradi- 
tions linger,  and  they  cannot  admit  that  any  other  occu[)atit)ns 
than  fishing  are  possible  or  desirable.  But  the  younger  school 
hold  different  ideas,  and  admit  that  the  fisheries  are  quite  iiisui- 
ficient  to  support  the  present  })opulation,  and  that  the  time  has 
come  for  colonizing  and  settlin<ij  the  fertile  lands  of  the  interior. 
It  is,  however,  among  the  middle  class,  which  has  grown  up, 
that  the  sentiment  of  progress  has  taken  deepest  root.  All 
these  interests  arc  bound  u})  with  the  country  ;  and  in  its  jn-og- 
ress  lies  their  hope  for  the  future.  The  fishermen,  too,  wel- 
come the  prospect  of  new  industries  for  the  support  of  them- 
selves and  their  children,  feeling  that  their  present  means  of 
subsistence  are  insufficient  for  their  increasing  numl)ers. 

There  is  another  class  of  men  called  "planters"  to  be  found 
in  all  the  j)rinci})al  fishing  centres.  This  term  carries  us  back 
to  the  days  when  all  colonies  were  "plantations,"  and  the  colo- 
nists were  "  })lanters."  The  name  is  still  continued  here,  hut 
does  not  at  all  indicate  a  farmer,  or  one  who  plants  anything; 
but  simply  means  a  sort  of  middle-man  Avho  stands  between  the 
merchant  and  the  fisherman.  lie  takes  his  supplies  direct  from 
the  merchant,  to  whom  he  is  accountable,  and  distributes  them 
among  a  nund)er  of  iishermen  at  the  commencement  of  the  sea- 
These  fishermen  either  work  directly  under  his  control  on 


son. 


his  own  premises,  or  they  carry  on  operations  apart,  under  his 
eye,  and  at  the  close  of  the  season  hand  over  the  proceeds  of 


I 


MAXXERS  AXD   CUSTOMS. 


191 


their  labor  in  payment  of  advances.  The  phmter  again  i)as.ses 
the  fish  to  the  exporting  merchant.  Many  of  the  "|ihintcrs" 
arc  independent,  and  can  pay  cash  for  their  supplies.  Others 
have  but  moderate  means,  and  are  simply  fishermen  who  own 
a  fishing-room,  with  boats  and  fishing-gear.  They  engage  a 
number  of  hands  for  the  season,  and  the  fish  is  made  on  their 
own  premises. 

The  fishermen  are  the  working-classes  of  the  countr}'.     Dur- 
ing the  height  of  the  fishery  season,  and  when  fish  are  abundant, 
their  labors  are  severe  and  incessant ;  but  during  winter  they 
arc  for  the  most  part  in  a  condition  of  enforced  idleness.    ]Much 
of  the  work  of  curing  the  fish  is  done  by  women  and  girls,  and 
their  lal)ors  are  often  very  lieavy.     When  the  fisheries  are  oyer 
there  are  boats,  nets,  etc.,  to  repair,  stages  and  fiakes  to  look 
after,  and  fuel  to  be  cut  in  the  woods  and  hauled  over  the  snow. 
Those  who  have  gardens,  or  plots  of  ground  under  cidtivation, 
take  up  the  i)''oduce  and  store  it  in  their  cellars.     If  the  fishery 
has  been  ::,uccessful,  then  the  fisherman  has  a  balance  comin<r  to 
him  after  paying  tor  his  sunnner  supplies,  and  is  enabled  to  lay 
in  a  stock  of  provisions  for  the  winter.     Should  the  fisheries 
))rove  a  failure,  the  poor  fisherman,  after  all  his  toils,  has  per- 
haps only  a  few  quintals  of  fish  to  hand  over,  in  payment  of  his 
advances.     He  is  in  debt,  and  has  to  depend  on  the  liberality 
of  the  supplying  merchant  for  a  scanty  sup})ly  of  the  nt'ccssa- 
ries  of  life,  to  sustain  himself  and  his  family  throughout  the 
winter.     Should  a  second  unfavorable  season  follow,  he  is  hope- 
lessly involved  in  debt.     The  advances  made  have  to  be  charged' 
al  high  prices,  in  order  to  allow  n  margin  for  bad  debts.     Here 
too  often  all  thcevils  of  "the  credit  system"  are  felt  in  the 
lK)i)eless  indebtedness  of  the  fisherman  ;  and  when  a  good  year 
conies,  all  is  swallowed  up  in  paying  old  debts.     The  unfortu- 
Uiite  fisherman  has  no  heart  to  work,  and  is  tempted  to  reckless- 
ness and  idleness.     Many  of  them,  however,  who  are  careful 
and  industrious,  and  especially  those  who  cultivate  the  soil,  are 
able  to  make  ends  meet  and  live  comfortably.     On  the  other 
liMud.  in    unfavorable  seasons,  widespread  poverty  is  felt,  and 
severe  privations. 
The  "credit  system"  has  much  to  do  with  the  hardness  of 


U 


t    , 


M,-, 


V    I 


k-h. 


5i,;. 


M 


^ 


r'    \ 


\  1 1 


■  H' 


192 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


their  lot  ;  l)ut  how  to  get  rid  of  it  is  the  difficulty.  It  i.s  inju- 
rious l)olh  to  him  that  gives  and  him  that  takes.  Iiicrcaxd 
openings  for  otherindustries,  the  cuUivation  of  the  soil,  eniplox- 
nient  during  winter,  education  with  the  forethought  and  tluil't 
wliieli  it  teaches,  will  ahnie  enable  the  tishermen  to  get  rid  o|" 
the  injurious  "credit  system"  and  attain  c<)inf(n't  and  indcinu- 
dence.  Ltito  years  have  witnessed  a  marked  improvement  in 
tiie  condition  of  the  tishermen,  and  larger  niunhcrs  than  tu'.- 
mi'ily  can  now  ad'ord  to  dispense  with  supplies  on  credit.  Sii',1 
the  system  has  very  wide  ramifications,  and  its  practices  ;iro 
deeply  engi'ained  in  the  habits  and  ideas  of  the  fishermen.  The 
pre.-ent  class  of  merchanls  are  not  accountal)le  for  a  sv>t.iu 
which  \r>  tiie  growth  of  many  generations,  and  which  can  only 
be  got  rid  of  by  degrees. 

W inter  is  the  season  for  enjoyment  among  the  fishermen. 
Among  them,  too,,  with  all  their  toils  and  privations,  life  vimli- 
cates  its  right  to  gladness  and  relaxation.  The  season  for  "lirc- 
sid(!  enjoyments,  h()me-l)orn  happiness,"  is  welcomed.  'V\wy 
have  their  simple  social  pleasures  of  various  kinds,  limitod  in 
range,  but  satisfying  to  those  whose  aspirations  do  not  take  a 
loftv  lliiiht.  Dancinu'  is  a  favorite  winter  anuisement  ainun^' 
the  tishermen  and  their  families  ;  and  to  tluHuusic  of  the  lidtU". 
or,  in  its  al)sence  the  flute  or  fife,  they  will  dance  vigorously  tor 
hours.  \\'etldings  are,  of  course,  occasions  of  much  festivity. 
Tea  meetings,  tem[)erance  solv^es,  readings  with  music,  have 
multiplied  of  late  years  in  the  larger  villages  and  settlements. 
Ne\vs})ai)ers,  periodicals,  and  books  arc  linding  their  way  to 
these  distant  and  lonely  "dwellers  by  the  sea,"  and  stirring  in- 
tellectual life  amonui:  them.  When  intercourse  with  the  capital 
is  ficilitated  by  railways  a  wider  range  of  thought  and  syni|)a- 
thy  will  be  developed.  As  it  is  there  is  perhaps  as  much  genu- 
ine ha[)piness  among  those  people  as  among  any  similar  nunilter 
who  toil  for  their  daily  bread.  Nature  has  wonderful  compen- 
sations; an^l  in  the  health,  vigor,  freedom,  and  capability  of 
enjoying  siini)le  pleasures  which  the  Newfoundlanders  possess, 
they  lia\e  much  to  console  them  for  the  absence  of  those  excit- 
ing and  artifit'ial  enjoyuKMits  in  which  more  advanced  communi- 
ties lind  their  chief  happiness. 


ANIMAL  KINGDOM. 


193 


CHAPTER  IX. 


ANIMAL  KINGDOM. 


The  caribou,  wolf,  and  black  bear —The  "Wolf  Killing  Act"  —The  bearer  — 
"Newfoundland  dog" — The  seal  tribe  —  Eagles,  hawks,  and  pigeons  — 
The  American  bittern  —  The  great  auk  —  The  gigantic  cophalopod,  or  devil- 
fish. 

A:\io\G  the  well-known  wild  animals  indigenous  to  New- 
foundland are  the  caribou  or  reindeer,  of  which  an  account 
will  l)e  given  in  the  chapter  on  "Newfoundland  as  a  Sport- 
ing Country,"  and  the  wolf,  of  which  there  are  considerable 
numbers  in  the  interior,  though  they  are  rarely  seen  by  the 
Bottlers.  Captain  Kennedy,  in  his  "  Sporting  Notes,"  gives 
it  as  his  opinion  that  the  wolves  are  far  less  numerous  than 
is  generally  supposed.  They  are  very  destructive  to  the 
caribou.  The  black  bear  is  frequently  met  with.  It  feeds 
on  the  wild  berries  and  roots  in  summer,  and  passes  the 
winter  in  a  state  of  torpor.  The  seal-hunters  occasionally 
encounter  the  white  or  polar  bear  on  the  ice  otT  the  coast, 
and  sometimes  it  has  been  known  to  land.  The  fox  is  found 
in  considerable  numbers  and  varieties,  as  the  black,  silver, 
gray,  and  red  fox.  The  skin  of  the  black  fox  is  worth  £15 
sterling;  that  of  the  silver  fox,  £8;  the  gray  fox,  £1  10s.; 
the  red  fox,  which  is  the  commonest,  o:dy  8s.  The  skin  of 
a  bear  is  valued  at  from  £2  iK)  £3;  that  of  a  deer  at  155., 
and  that  of  a  wolf  at  £1.  By  the  "Wolf-Killing  Act"  a 
reward  of  twelve  dollars  is  offered  for  every  wolf-skin  ;  but 
.^o  cunning  are  these  animals,  that  it  is  exceedingly  difficult 
lo  trap  or  shoot  them,  and  the  reward  is  seldom  obtained. 
The  beaver  is  still  numerous  in  the  lakes  of  the  interior ;  the 
^kin  is  worth  16s.  A  good  trapper  will  kill  thirty  or  forty 
beavers   in  a  week,  and  average  two  a  day  all  the  season. 


r*' 


1   4 

» 

\ 

i     'r 

! 

Ul— UUBABSikifarfMi 


194 


XE  'VFOUNDLAND. 


'il 


\U 


;  i !  • 


'1 


iw. 


\    < 


Tli(>  otter  is  less  niuuerous  ;  the  skin  is  valued  at  £1  .s.s. 
TluTc  is  hut  one  speeies  known  liere — the  LiUra  Canadoish — 
Mlii<h  is  found  not  only  in  the  lakes  and  rivers,  hut  also  alonii: 
the  sea-coasts.  The  njarten,  the  weasel,  the  hat,  the  rat,  tht; 
Held  and  eonunon  mouse,  and  the  nuis<|uash,  or  nuisk-ral.  are 
Huuierous.  The  Aretie  here  jrrows  to  a  laru'e  size,  and  lir- 
eonies  eomidetely  white  in  winti'r.  It  is  a  distinet  speeio  — 
Lcjms  Arrdnis  or  G'laciulis.  A  few  years  ago  a  few  pairs 
of  the  eoninion  North  Anicrieau  hare  were  hrought  lioin 
X(>va  Seotia  and  let  loose  in  the  neighhorhood  of  the  eapital. 
They  have  thriven  and  multiplied  ra})idly,  and  in  many  places 
furnish  an  imjxjrtant  item  of  food  for  lumhermen  in  the  winter. 
They  are  called  "rahhits,"  hut  improperly  so,  as  they  never 
l)uiT()w,  and  have  all  the  hahits  of  the  hare. 

Ther(^  are  few  fine  specimens  of  the  world-renowned 
"Newfoundland  dog"  to  he  met  with  now  in  the  island  from 
which  it  derived  its  name.  The  eonnnon  dogs  arc  a  wretched 
mongnd  race,  cowardly,  thievish,  and  addicted  to  sheei)-kill- 
ing.  liy  starvation,  neglect,  and  Ijad  treatment  the  race 
has  degenerated  so  that  few  traits  of  the  original  remain. 
The  Newfoundland  dog  thrives  l)ettor  elsewhere,  though  there 
arc  still  some  superior  specimens  to  he  met  with  in  the 
country.  The  origin  of  this  line  hreed  is  lost  in  ohscurity. 
It  is  douhtful  whether  the  ahorigines  possessed  the  dog  at 
all ;  and  it  is  highly  imi)rohal)le  that  the  Newfoundland 
dog  is  indigenous.  Some  ha})i)y  crossing  of  hreeds  in;iy 
have  produced  it  here.  The  old  settlers  say  that  the  ancient 
geiuiine  hreed  consisted  of  a  dog  ahout  twenty-six  inches 
high,  with  hlaek  ticked  hody,  gray  nuizzle,  and  gray  or 
white  stockinged  legs,  with  dew-claws  heliind.  These  weio 
l)rohahly  the  progenitors  of  the  present  Newfoundland  dog, 
whose  life-saving  cai)acitics  in  cases  of  threatened  drowning, 
especially  with  those  who  live  near  the  sea  or  great  rivers, 
are  valuahle.  Judicious  treatment  has  greatly  improved  the 
l)reed.  Landscer,  as  is  well  known,  has  immortalized  one 
of  tiiem  in  his  celehrated  picture,  entitled  "A  Distinguished 
Memher  of  the  Humane  Society,"  and  the  hreed  to  which 
he    helonged,    is    known    as    the    "Landseer   Newfoundland.'' 


ANIMAL  KIXGD03I. 


195 


Their  color  is  white  with  black  patches,  curly  coats,  noble 
heads  and  powerful  tVanies.  The  favorite  Xe\vt\)un(lland  dog 
at  i)resent  is  entirely  black,  of  large  size,  from  twenty-six 
to  thirty  inches  in  height,  remarkable  for  his  majestic  a})pcar- 
ance.  It  is  now  generally  admitted  that  there  are  two  dis- 
tinct types  of  the  Newfoundland  dog,  one  consideral)ly 
larger  than  the  other,  and  reckoned  as  the  true  breed  ;  the 
other  JK'iiig  named  the  Labrador,  or  St.  John's,  or  Lesser 
Xewfoundland.  The  latter  is  chiefly  found  in  Labrador,  and 
specimens  are  also  to  be  met  with  in  Newfoundland. 

Within  the  last  four  or  five  years  the  celel)r.ited  Leonbcrg 
dog  has  l)een  introduced  into  Newfoundland,  and  thrives 
remarkably  well.  The  first  specimens  were  brought  by  Ilerr 
T.  A.  Verkruzen,  u  G(!rman  naturalist,  who  visited  the 
island  for  the  jjurpose  of  collecting  mollusca.  He  brought 
with  him  three  carefully  select  d  pupi)ies  from  Essig's  estab- 
lishment in  Leonberg,  Wurtemburg,  of  this  renowned  breed, 
now  so  much  sought  after  by  the  gentry  and  nobility  of 
Europe.  The  Leonberg  is  the  result  of  a  skilful  crossing 
of  the  St.  Bernard  with  the  Newfoundland  dog  and  the 
wolf  dog  of  the  Pyrenees,   the  result  being  the   largest   and 


handsomest  long-haired  dog  now  in  existence,  and  distin- 
guished for  sagacity,  strength,  and  faithfulness.  Som(!  of 
tile  finest  well-trained  specimens  of  the  breed  are  sold  in 
Euroi)e  as  high  as  £50  and  £100.  They  possess  some  of 
the  highest  moral  qualities  of  the  noble  races  whose  blood 
blends  in  their  veins.  At  the  leading  dog  shows  of  the 
world  they  have  carried  otf  the  highest  prizes.  They  grow 
to  the  height  of  thirty-three  to  thirty-six  inches,  and  are 
over  one  hundred  pounds  in  weight.  The  breed  is  multi- 
plying in  the  island,  and  iw  much  esteemed  and  sought  after. 
In  time  they  will  perhaps  supersede  the  present  degenerate 
breed  of  the  Newfoundland.  Their  colors  are  white  with 
black  spots,  wolf  gray,  and  black.  The  last  have  often  a 
double  or  split  nose. 

Of  the  seal  tribe  there  are  four  species,  —  the  harbor  or  bay 
seal,  the  harp,  the  hooded  seal,  and  the  square  flipper.  These 
will  be  described  in  the  chapter  on  the  seal-fishery.     The  wal- 


JMi 


\   ji'^! 

■ 

1   i''  r    ■ 

mm 

^-      ;1:'' 

m 

,    1-       • 
i  i' 

B 

-           1  \     ■    '■ 

m 

1 

*  I. 


196 


XFM'FOUNDI.AXD. 


I   ( 


■  1 
1 

\ 

1 

I 


ru8,  or  moi>c,  is  often  met  Avith  hy  the  sellers.  The  cctaeea, 
or  whale  tribe,  are  repre^iented  '^y  the  fin-backed  whale,  which 
lives  on  caplin,  lance,  etc.,  the  sh;i.[;-nosed  whale,  and  the 
pike-headed  species;  the  great  Greenland  'whale  is  very 
rarely,  if  ever,  seen  nowadays.  The  delphinic.ie  are  repre- 
sented by  the  species  called  by  the  fishermen  black-fish,  or  pot- 
heads  ;  the  body  is  bluish  black,  the  head  round  and  !>Iunt,  and 
the  blow-hole  very  la<'ge  ;  they  yield  from  thirty  to  a  hundred 
gallons  of  oil.  Another  variety  is  called  putiing-pig  and  her- 
ring-hog by  the  fishermen.  The  porpoise  is  common  around 
the  shores,  and  specimens  of  the  grampus  are  seen  occasion- 
ally. 

The  birds  of  Newfoundland  are  far  too  numerous  to  be  named 
in  this  brief  and  imperfect  sketch,  and  only  a  few  of  the  more 
important  can  be  enumerated.  Mr.  Henry  Keeks,  F.L.S.,  an 
English  naturalist  of  note,  spent  two  years  on  the  Avcstern  coast 
of  the  isltuid,  studying  it  ■;  ornithology,  and  j)ublishcd  the  result 
of  his  observations  in  the  "  Zcologist."  He  <^nu''ierates  two 
hundred  species  of  birds,  juul  of  course  there  are  many  more. 
A  Swedish  naturalist,  on  a  visit  to  the  island,  estimated  that 
there  were  five  hundred  species  of  l)irds.  Nearly  all  the  birds 
are  migratory. 

The  bald  or  white-headed  eagle  is  common,  and  is  called  l)y 
the  fisheriiien  "the  grepe. '  Of  ha\v!:s,  the  most  inii)ortant 
varieties  are  the  American  ospi-ey  or  fish-hawk,  the  pigeon, 
the  sparrow,  the  Grceidand  falcon,  and  the  American  goshawk. 
Of  owls,  there  are  the  snowy  owl,  the  great  horned  owl,  the 
long-eared  and  short-eared  owls,  ami  the  hawk-owl. 

Of  woodpeckers,  there  are  the  hairy,  the  downy,  and  the 
yellow-headed  three-toed  W()()(li)eckers.  The  American  cliim- 
ncy  .swallow  is  rare,  an*!  the  American  night-hawk  is  a  sunnucr 
migant.  The  belted  kinglisher  is  connnon.  There  are  six  six'cies 
of  lly-catchcrs,  an. I  the  sjune  number  of  thrushes.  Of  the  lat- 
ter, the  migratory  trush  or  American  robin  —  called  the  black- 
bh'd  or  robin  in  Newfoundland  —  is  the  earliest  sonyster.  and 
even  when  the  ground  is  still  cevered  with  snow  is  heard  pour- 
ing forth  its  sonorous  notes.  The  warblers  are  in  great  variety  ; 
and  tiiere  are  five  varieties  of  swallows,  four  of  which  are  rare. 


ANIMAL   KINGDOM. 


107 


summer  migrants.  The  finches  inchido  iie  American  })ine  gros- 
beak, ^hz  American  cross-bill,  the  snc  -bunting,  the  snow-bird, 
and  tiie  chipping-sparrow.  The  AKiorican  raven  and  the  blue 
and    'anada  jay  are  common. 

Tn  the  chapter  on  "  Sporting  "  reference  will  be  made  to  the 
grouse  or  ptarmigan  of  the  island,  erroneously  called  "par- 
tridge." This  game-bird  is  the  willow  grouse  (Latjopus  albns)  ; 
but  there  is  another  kind  called  the  rock  [jtarmigan  {Laijopus 
vapestriH), 'M\  Alpine  spocies,  inhabiting  only  the  In'glie^t  and 
barest  mountain  ridges,  and  called  the  "  mountain  partridge." 
The  Canadian  grouse,  or  spruce  partridge,  is  sometimes  seen  as 
a  rare  visitor  on  the  western  side  of  the  island.  Mr.  Keeks 
met  with  some  specimens.  The  American  bittern,  the  Ameri- 
can golden  [)lover,  and  other  varieties,  and  a  great  mnnber  of 
dttferent  species  of  sandpipers  and  curlews  are  abundant.  The 
Canada  goose  and  the  Breut  goose  are  regular  summer  visitants. 
Of  ducks  there  are  the  black,  the  pintail,  the  green-winged 
teal,  the  gray,  and  the  American  golden-eye.  The  harlecjuin 
duck  is  called  "h)rds  and  ladies,"  and  the  long-tailed  duck 
"  hounds,"  from  their  fancied  resemblance  to  the  cry  of  a  pack 
of  hounds  in  full  chase.  The  eider  duck  uvA  the  red-breasted 
merganser  ai  j  tolerably  common.  The  locai  name  of  the  latter 
is  "  shell  duck."  The  stormy  petrel,  gulls  in  great  variety, 
gannets,  cormorants,  and  the  loon,  or  great  northern  diver,  are 
common. 

1'he  great  auk  was  once  found  in  myriads  around  the  shores, 
but  is  now  extinct  everywhere,  not  a  speciinen  having  been 
fou.id  for  the  last  fifty  years.  The  little  auk,  the  puffin,  the 
common  gu'.llemot,  called  locally  the  "  murr  and  turr,"  and  the 
razor-billed  auk  are  al)undant.  The  great  auk  was  a  v<'ry 
r'Mnarkable  bird,  and  deserves  more  than  a  passing  mention. 
It  r.uist  now  be  reckoned,  like  the  dodo,  among  l4je  things  that 
have  been,  though  in  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  c»Mituries  it 
was  to  i)e  seeii  in  multitudes  on  the  low  rocky  islands  on  the 
ciisd'rn  coast  of  the  island,  and  iunnense  fiocks  of  them  were 
encountered  by  the  mariners  of  those  days  as  far  out  as  the 
r>;iid<s.  Now  the  discovery  of  a  single  living  specimen,  or 
tven  of  a  skeleton,  would  be  hailed  as  a  most  fortunate  event. 


tt||, 


•it 


■  ! 


!» 


198 


NE  WFO UXDLAND. 


•     I 


!i 


\{  ■    f 


The  last  auk  Avas  shot  on  an  isolated  rock  off  the  south  coast  of 
Iceland,  in  1844,  and  is  now  in  the  museum  of  Copenhaproii. 
In  all  the  museums  of  I^urope  and  America  there  are  only 
seventy-two  specimens  of  the  bird.  Three  of  these  were  found 
on  Funk  Island,  off  the  north-eastern  coast  of  Newfoundland 
in  18(54.  They  came  into  the  possession  of  Bisho})  Field,  who 
forwarded  one  to  Ajrassiz,  another  to  Professor  Newton,  of 
Camhridire,  and  the  third  ultimately  reached  the  British  ]Museum, 
where  there  is  but  one  other  specimen,  brought  from  the  Ork- 
neys, in  1812.  Numerous  bones  of  the  great  auk  have  liocn 
found  on  Funk  Island,  and  a  careful  search  might  discover 
many  perfect  skeletons.  The  great  auk  was  larger  than  a  goose. 
Its  wings  we.re  very  small,  and  not  constituted  for  flight,  Init 
were  admira])le  paddles  in  the  water,  enabling  the  bird  to  move 
about  even  more  swiftly  than  the  loon.  The  legs  were  extremely 
short,  but  powerful,  and  placed  so  much  posteriorly,  that,  in 
resting  on  the  rocks  the  birds  assumed  an  upright  attitude,  the 
whole  of  the  leg  and  toes  being  applied  to  the  surface.  It  was 
a  native  of  the  Northern  hemisphere,  the  peng  lin  being  its  r(>la- 
tive  in  the  Southern.  The  causes  of  its  extermination  arc  not 
dinicult  to  discover.  Its  short  wings  and  peculiar  conformation 
rendered  it  helpless  on  the  land ;  while  its  flesh  and  feathers 
were  so  valuable  as  to  invite  the  rapacity  of  man.  There  were 
few  suitable  breeding-places,  and  when  these  were  invaded  it 
could  not  fly  elsewhere,  and  had  no  choice  but  to  die.  In  the 
"struggle  for  existence,"  to  which  nature  subjects  all  her  ani- 
mated productions,  such  a  bird  as  the  great  auk  nmst  perish 
early. 

It  must  have  been  a  curious  sight,  two  hundred  years  ago,  to 
see  these  wild,  lonely  islands,  their  coasts  literally  swarming 
with  these  strange  birds,  as  they  waddled  slowly  about  in  an 
erect  position,  with  their  broad  webbed  feet  and  short  wings, 
resembling  the  llip])ers  of  a  s.>al.  They  were  the  connecting 
link  bctweiMi  the  tish  and  l)ird,  partaking  of  the  nature  of  both. 
The  "Knglish  Pilot "  for  1774  thus  refers  to  them:  "  Tlu-y 
never  go  beyond  the  banks,  as  others  do,  for  they  are  always 
on  it  or  within  it,  several  of  them  together,  'i'liey  an;  large 
fowls,  about  the  size  of  a  irooso,  a  coal-black  head  and  Iiack, 


AJVn/AL  KINGDOM. 


199 


with  ;i  white  spot  under  one  of  their  eyes,  which  nature  has 
ordered  to  be  under  their  rii^ht  eye,  — an  extraordinary  mark. 
These  birds  never  fly,  for  their  wings  iire  very  short,  and  most 
like  the  fins  of  a  fish,  having  nolliing  upon  them  but  a  sort  of 
down  and  short  feathers."     Not  only  were  the  crews  of  the 
fishing  vessels   of  those   days   in  the  habit  of  consuming  vast 
<iuantiiies  of  these  l)irds  fresh,  but  they  were  accustomed  to  salt 
down  many  tons  of  them  for  future  use.     The  merchanis  of 
Bonavista  and  other  places  were  in  the  habit   of  salting  them 
and  selling  them,  in  the  winter  season,  instead  of  pork,  to  the 
Jlsjiermen,     The  sailors  used  to  land  on  the  islands  where  they 
bred,  and  fill  their  boats  with  the  plump  unwieldy  ])irds  (which 
on  land  could  make  no  effort  to  escai)e),  driving  them,  accord- 
ing to  Whitbourne,  on  board  by  hundreds,  or  knocking  them  on 
the  head  with  sticks.     They  feasted  on  their  eggs,  and  even 
l)urnod  their  bodies  for  fuel,  in  order  to  warm  water  to  })ick  olfthe 
teal  hers,  v;hich  were  valuable.     After  slaughtering  them  they 
sometime,]  shut  them  up  in  stone  enclosures,  in  order  to  have 
Ihciu  ready  when  wanted.     It  is  not  wonderful  that,  undc  such 
c'rcumstanecs,  the  great  aulv  has  been  completely  exterminated. 
The   principal  commercial   fishes  in  the  waters   around   the 
i>lan(l  will  be  described  in  the  chapter  on  "The  Fisheries,"  the 
cod,    salmon,    and   herring   being   tlie    most    valuable.      The 
mackerel,  once  abundant,  have  been  extremely  scarce  lor  many 
3'(>!U's.     Halibut,  turbot,  ])lalee,  sole,  etc.,  are  not  taken  in  such 
(luantitics  as  to  render  them  of  value.       Eels  are  plentiful  in 
li'.kcs,   rivers,  and  salt   water.      Sturgeons    are    rarely  taken. 
Ijobstcrs  are  most  abundant,  and  now  constitute  a  valuable  article 
of  ex[)ort.     Oysters  are  not  found  around  the  shores  ;  crabs  arc 
plentiful.       A  few  other  species  ari>  met  with,  such  as  the  pii)e- 
lisji,  frog-fish,  bellows-fish,  sculi)ins,  lance,  cat -fish,  and  lump- 
fi>h.     Sharks  are  not  unconnnon.     A  specimen  of  the  basUing- 
shark  was  brought  ashore  a  few  years  ago  at  Topsail,  in  Concep- 
tion  Bay,   measuring  thirty   feet  in   length.      The  dog-tlsh,  a 
kind  of  small  shark,  hat(Ml  by  the  fishermen,  as  it  often  takes 
the  fisl;  tVom  tluMr  nets  and  hooks,  isal)undant.     The  fox-shark, 
or  threshv'r,  is  only  seen  occasionally. 
The  absence  of  vc;UOinous  reptiles  of  all  kinds,  and  also  of 


i\' 


,1 


fi       I 


<■       1 

i'       I 

I       < 


'}  i  I 


r  .     f'i: 


'i  i 


200 


NE  WFO  UXDLAXD. 


\\\ 


frogs  and  toads,  is  rcmarkal)le.  Several  animals  common  on 
the  continent  of  America  are  also  wanting,  such  as  the  h  nx, 
the  skunk,  porcupine,  mink,  and  squirrel. 

Of  the  moUuscous  animals  the  principal  representative  is  llio 
connnon  squid,  a  ccplialo[)()d  al)out  five  or  six  inches  in  Icnutli, 
which  vi.sits  the  coast  in  immense  shoals  in  August  and  Sci)t('iii- 
ber,  and  supplies  a  valuable  bait  for  the  fishermen.  It  pos- 
sesses- ten  arms  radiating  from  the  head,  a  small  horny  beak,  iiiul 
an  ink-bag,  from  which  at  pleasure  it  ejects  a  black  fluid,  tluis 
darkening  the  water  so  as  to  elude  its  foes.  It  moves  cithor 
backwards  or  forwards  through  the  water  with  great  raj)i<lit y. 

A  very  great  interest  was  awakened  among  naturalists  in 
1873  by  an  announcement  which  one  of  the  present  writers 
(jNIr.  Ilarvey)  was  fortunate  enough  to  be  al)le  to  make,  of  the 
discovery  of  a  new  species  of  cuttle-fish,  of  gigantic  size,  in  the 
waters  around  Newfoundland.  Victor  Hugo,  in  his  "Toilers  of 
the  Sea,"  gives  a  thrilling  description  of  such  a  monster  uiidcr 
the  title  of  the  "  devil-fish  "  ;  but  the  reality  surpassed  the  fiction. 
Victor  Hugo's  devil-fish  was  only  four  or  five  feet  l)etwccn  the 
extremities  of  the  outspread  arms  ;  the  creature  now  discovered 
had  ;>rms  the  longest  of  which  measured  each  twentv-four  feet, 
and  be.' ween  their  outspread  extremities  were  fifty-two  fed. 
The  1)ody  was  between  seven  and  eight  feet  in  length.  The 
circumstances  under  Avhich  the  discovery  was  first  made  weic  ;is 
follows:  On  the  2Gtli  of  October,  1873,  two  fishermen  of 
Portugal  Cove  were  out  in  a  «niall  boat  off  the  eastern  end  of 
Belle  Isle,  in  Conception  Bay.  Observing  something  lloat- 
ing  iai  the  water,  they  rowed  u[)  to  it  and  one  of  them  stnuk 
it  with  his  boat-hook.  Instantly  the  mass  showed  that  it  wiis 
animated  by  putting  itself  in  motion.  A  huge  betdc  reiired 
itself  from  among  the  folds  and  struck  the  l)oat,  and  a  p;iir  of 
large  eyes  glared  at  them  ferociously.  The  men,  as  may  he 
imagined,  were  petrified  with  fear;  but  before  i\\iiy  had  time 
to  escape  two  c{)ri)se-like  arms  shot  out  from  around  the  head 
and  flung  themselves  across  the  boat.  Had  those  slimy  miius, 
with  their  powerful  suckers,  once  attached  themselves  to  llie 
boat,  it  would  speedily  have  been  drsiwu  under  the  walei-  and 
its   occupants    would   have  been   brought  within  reach  of  the 


ANIMAL  KINGDOM. 


201 


monster's  powerful  beak.  One  of  the  iT>i^r«.  however,  had  the 
presence  of  mind  to  seize  a  small  hatchet,  that  fortunately  lay 
in  t!ie  bottom  of  the  boat,  and  with  a  couple  of  blows  he  sev- 
ered the  arms  as  they  lay  over  the  gunwale  of  ihc  l)()at.  The 
creature  uttered  no  cr}'  of  pain ;  but  at  once  moved  off  from 
the  l)oat  and  ejected  an  enormous  quantity  of  inky  fluid,  Avhich 
darkened  the  water  for  two  or  three  hundred  yards.  The  men 
saw  no  more  of  it,  and  having  dragged  the  amputated  arms 
into  the  bor^t  speedily  made  for  the  shore.  The  shorter  and 
thicker  of  the  two  arms  was  thrown  carelessly  aside  and  de- 
stroyed, but  was  described  as  six  feet  in  length  and  ten  or 
twelve  inches  in  circumference.  The  longer  arm  was  broujrht 
to  St.  John's  by  the  fisherman,  and  ^Ir.  Harvey  was  fortunate 
enough  to  secure  it.  After  being  photographed  it  was  placed 
in  the  Geological  Museum,  where  it  now  is.  On  measuren^ent 
the  fragment  was  found  to  be  nineteen  feet  in  length,  not  more 
than  three  and  a  half  inches  in  circumference ;  of  a  palish  pink 
color,  exceedingly  strong  and  tough.  The  fif'herman  estimated 
that  more  than  ten  feet  of  this  arm  M'cre  left  attached  to  the 
body,  so  that  its  entire  length  must  have  been  thirty  feet. 
Towards  the  extremity  it  broadened  out  like  an  oar  and  then 
tapered  to  a  fine,  tongue-like  point.  This  part  was  thickly  cov- 
ered with  suckers,  having  horny,  teethed  edges,  the  largest  of 
them  over  an  inch  in  diameter,  the  smallest  not  larger  tluni  a  s})lit 
pea.  Their  number  was  estimated  at  one  hundred  and  eighty. 
All  these  suckers,  acting  together,  would  establish  such  a  grasp  on 
an  object  as  it  would  be  impossible  to  escape  from.  The  fisher- 
men described  the  body  of  the  monster  as  being  of  imnionso 
size  ;  but,  under  the  influence  of  terror,  their  account  would  l)o 
greatly  exaggerated.  Subse(iuent  discoveries  of  perfect  speci- 
mens, however,  render  it  co'tain  that  the  body  nuist  have  l)con 
over  ten  feet  in  length,  and  showed  that  this  was  one  of  th(>  two 
long  tentacles  ;  the  other  eight  arms  being  shorter  and  tliicker. 
Only  a  fortnight  after  this  c/ent  a  perfect  specimen  was 
taken  in  a  net  at  Logic  Bay,  three  miles  from  St.  .John's.  Mr. 
Harvey  had  iigain  the  good  fortune  to  hear  of  the  capture  and 
to  ol)tain  possession  of  the  animal.  Ho  had  it  measured  and 
photographed,  and  described  it  minutely  in  various  newspapers 


fii 


it 


'        K 


i 


I  «  1  I,  I 


202 


NEWFOUXDLAND. 


11 


S|^::i: 


!      , 


and  periodicals.  An  engraving,  copied  from  the  phol()giii[)h, 
and  a  dcscri[)tlon  appeared  in  the  London  "Field,"  and  the 
accounts  made  the  rounds  of  the  press  in  Britain  and  America. 
Everywhere  the  discovery  was  regarded  by  naturalists  as  of 
great  i/nportance,  as  it  was  the  iirst  perfect  si)ecimen  of  a 
creature  hitherto  regarded  as  fabulous. 

The  mode  of  its  capture  was  curious.  During  the  hauling  in 
of  a  herring-net  the  creature  got  somehow  enlangled  in  the 
folds,  and  became  powerless.  It  struggled  desperately,  \\w\ 
before  three  men  could  drag  it  into  tiie  l>oat  they  were  ol)!igc(l 
to  kill  it  1)3'  cutting  o(f  the  head.  It  proved  to  be  a  gigantic 
cuttle-fish  or  calamary  ;  and  is  called  by  the  tislu. men  a  "  hig 
sijuid.'  The  two  long  arms  or  tentacles  were  found  to  measmc 
each  twenty-four  feet,  and  to  be  three  inches  in  circumfereiKc ; 
tlu^  eight  shorter  arms  were  each  six  feet  in  length,  and,  at  the 
.point  of  junction  with  the  central  mttss,  were  ten  inches  in  cir- 
cumference. The  longer  arms  broadened  at  the  extremities, 
and  were  there  covered  with  suckers  as  in  the  Conce[)ti()n  IJiiy 
specimen.  The  shorter  arms  had  their  under  sides  coveicd 
through  the  entire  length  with  a  double  row  of  suckers,  jiiul 
each  taper(>d  to  a  fine  })oint.  The  total  number  of  suckers  was 
estimated  at  eleven  hundred.  The  ten  arms  radiated  fi'om  a 
central  mass  two  and  a  half  feet  in  diameter,  in  the  midtlle  of 
which  was  a  strong  horny  beak,  shai)ed  j)recisely  like  that  of  a 
parrot,  and  in  size  larger  than  a  man's  clenched  fist.  The  eyes 
Avere  destroyed,  but  the  eye-socket  measured  foiu"  inches  in 
diann  ter.  The  body  Avas  between  seven  and  eight  feet  in 
length,  and  five  feet  in  circumference.  The  tail  was  fin-shaped, 
and  about  two  feet  acr()<'<s. 

This  si)ecimen  was  forwarded  to  Professor  A.  E.  Vervill,  of 
Yale  College,  New  Haven,  one  of  the  most  eminent  liviijg  naln- 
ralists  of  America.  He  made  a  very  I'areful  study  of  the 
animal,  and  has  given  an  exhaustive  account  of  it  in  a  scries  of 
papers  in  the  "  American  Journal  of  Science  "  and  the  "  Anicr- 
ii-an  Xaluralist,"  all  th(>  dilferent  organs  l)eing  ligmvd  in  ex- 
cellent engravings,  and  a  restoration  of  the  creature  being  also 
given.  To  his  admirable  accoimt  those  who  wish  for  a  lull 
descri[)tion    of   the   now  famous  devil-fish    must    be  refcired. 


M 


ANIMAL  KINGDOM. 


203 


The  details  are  highly  interesting,  and  prove,  once  more,  that 
"fact  is  often  stranger  than  fiction. " 

Professor  Ven'iii  has  distinguished  two  species  of  the  giant 
cephalopods  :  one  he  named  Arvhitentliiii  Ilarveiji,  "  as  a  well- 
merited  compliment  to  the  Rev.  M.  Harvey,  who  has  done  so 
much  to  bring  these  remarkable  specimens    into    notice  ;    the 
other  he  called  Architenthis  monachus."    In  the     Popular  Sci- 
ence Review,"  for  April,  1874,  there  appeared  a  highly  inter- 
esting article,  by  W.  Saville  Kent,  F.L.S.,  on  these  gigantic 
cuttles,  in  which  the  writer  proposed  to  name  the  species  Mega- 
hteuthis  Harveyi,  "  in  recognition  of  the  great  service  to  science 
rendered  through  Mr.  Harvey's  steps  taken  to  prsserve  these  val- 
uable specimens."     Mr.  Frank  Buckland,  in  his  "  Logbook  of  a 
Fisherman  and  Geologist,"  has  a  paper  on  the  sul)ject ;  he  also 
constructed  a  wooden  model  of  the  devil-fish  for  his  museum. 
Since    1873    several    specimens  of  this  creature  have  come 
ashore,  generally  after  heavy  storms.     The    largest  heard  of 
was  one  cast  ashore  in  Thimble  Tickle,  Notre  Dame  Bay,  the 
bod}'^  of  which  was  reported,  on  good  authority,  to  have  been 
twenty  feet  in  length,  the  tentacles  forty  feet.     Another  was 
found  at  Three  Arms,  Notre  Dame  Bay,  with  a  body  of  tiftccn 
feet   long.     A  perfect   specimen  was    ob'tained  at  Catalina,  in 
1877,  nine  feet  two  inches  in  length  of  body;  circumference 
of  body,  seven  feet ;  tentacles,  thirty  feet ;  short  arms,  eleven 
feet.     This  specimen  is  now  in  the  New  York  Aquarium.     In 
1881  another  specimen  with  a  body  eleven  feet  in  length  was 
obtained  at  Portugal  Cove.     It  is  now  in  AVorth's   Museum, 
New  York.     All  these  instances  prove  that  in  the  seas  around 
Newfoundland  these  gigantic  cephalopods  are  al)undant.     They 
seldom  approach  the  shore,  so  that  the  doj)t}is  of  the  ocean  in 
certain  places  may  contain  shoals  of  them.     ^Ir.  Saville  Kent 
says,  in  the  article  previously  referred  to  :  "  Summing  \\\^  the 
whole,  we  are  forced  to  admit  that  this  group  of  cei)hal()i)()dous 
mollusks  contains  representatives  of  enormous  dimensions  dis- 
tributed in  the  seas  throujrhout  the  '•■lobe,  and  embracini'  in  all 
jn'obability  many  distinct  genera  and  si)ecies.     Such  is  the  for- 
midable size  of  these  giant  calamarics  that  they  vie  even  with 
the  cetacea  in  magnitude,  and  in  this  respect  yield  to  no  other  ani- 


•■  t '       * 


;!:  r 


204 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


:;  I'    I 


Jr;-- 


n  ;      t 


I!!! 


mals  now  existing.  It  further  appears  obvious  that  the  numer- 
ous tales  and  traditions,  that  have  been  current  from  tlie  earliest 
times,  concerning  the  existence  of  colossal  species  of  this  race, 
though  in  some  instances  unscrupulously  exaggerated,  had,  in  all 
probability,  in  the  main  a  background-work  of  fact,  and  can  be 
no  longer  passed  over  as  the  mere  fabrications  of  a  disordered 
mind,  as  we  have  hitherto  been  inclined  to  accept  them." 

Professor  Verrill  says :  "  The  pen  of  our  Architenthls 
Ilarveyi  seems  to  resemble  that  of  the  ancient  genus  Tendopsis, 
found  fossil  in  the  Jurassic  formations,  and  contemporaneous 
withiu>i  hu^e  marine  saurians.  ichthyosaurus  and  plesioi-anrus, 
etc.,  tli^  soa-serpent  of  those  ancient  seas.  May  t}i;'re  not  also 
be  huge  marine  saurians  still  living  in  the  North  Atlantic,  in 
company  with  the  giant  squids,  but  not  yet  known  to  naturalists? 
Such  a  belief  seems  quite  reasonable  when  we  consider  'low 
many  species  of  g^eat  marine  animals,  both  among  cephalopoda 
and  cetaceans,  are  still  known  only  from  single  specimens, 
or  f^ven  mere  fragments  generally  obtained  only  by  chance." 

Should  thi  i  eminent  naturalist's  opinion  be  well  founded,  then 
our  Newfoundland  devil-fish  may  prove  to  be  first  cousin  to  tlie 
sea-serpent,  and  perhaps  may  introduce  one  day  this  relative 
who  has  tantalized  and  eluded  the  grasp  of  so  many  mariners, 
and  may  yet  prove  to  be  no  more  a  myth  than  the  devil-tish 
which  has  now  an  acknowledged  place  in  the  halls  of  science. 

Ilerr  T.  A.  Verkruzon,  the  German  naturalist,  already'  men- 
tioned in  these  pages  as  the  introducer  of  the  Leonberg  dog, 
spenrS  a  portion  of  two  summers  in  dredging  and  collecting 
mollusca  around  the  shores  of  the  island.  He  also  visited  the 
Banks,  in  a  fishing-vessel,  for  fhe  same  purpose.  The  rcsu't 
was  a  collection  of  the  mollusca  of  Newfoundland  of  great  value 
to  science,  by  an  able  and  accomplished  ^rsaturalist,  who  is  a 
master  in  conchology.  Ho  very  kindly  presented  to  the  Geo- 
logical Museum  of  St.  John's  a  collection  embracing  specunons 
of  ninety-two  diilerent  species  of  mollusca,  which  he  had 
collected  and  identified.  Ho  also  print,ed  a  small  pani[)hlct 
containing  a  complete  list  of  his  discoveries.  His  coil'^ction 
cost  him  much  time,  hibor,  and  ixioney,  and  his  is  the  only 
account  of  tho  mollusca  of  Newfoundland  yet  published. 


K' 


VEGETABLE  KINGDOM. 


205 


CHAPTER  X. 


VEGETABLE  KINGDOM. 

Forest  trees  —  Evergreens  —  The  Labrador  tea-plant  —  Wild  berries  —  Flowering 
plants  and  ferns  —  Wild  flowers  and  vegetables. 

In  the  chapter  on  "  Forest  Timber  "  an  account  will  be  given 
of  the  more  valual)le  trees  of  the  country,  and  the  extent  of  the 
forest  growths.  It  will  be  there  shown  that  in  th'i  valleys  of  the 
interior  are  magnificent  forests,  of  great  extent,  of  pine,  spruce, 
l)irch,  juniper,  larch,  etc.,  furnishing  ample  materials  for  a 
largo  limber  trade,  as  well  as  for  ship-building  purposes.  The 
white  pine  is  often  found  from  seventy  to  eighty  feet  in  height,  and 
over  three  feet  in  diameter.  The  spruces  and  larches  are  of  the 
best  quality  for  ship-building  purposes,  while  the  yellow  birch  is 
l)ronounced  equal  in  durability  to  the  English  oak.  The  lattci;, 
especially  on  the  western  side  of  the  island,  frequently  attains  a 
great  size  ])oth  in  girth  and  height.  The  oak,  beech,  maple, 
chestnut,  and  walnut  are  not  found  in  Newfoundland. 
kind  of  dwarf  maple  is  found  in  the  interior.  The  American 
mountain-ash  grows  to  a  largo  size,  and  is  very  abundant ; 
the  aspen  and  the  balsam  poplar  thrive  well,  and  the  willow 
fi'mily  is  well  represented  and  attains  a  large  size.  The  recum- 
bent or  ground  juniper  and  the  recumbent  Canadian  yew  are 
})lc'ntiful.  The  alders  attain  but  a  stunted  growth.  The  English 
hawthorn  has  been  introduced  and  thrives  well,  but  is  not 
extensively   cidtivated. 

The  evergi'cecns  are  in  considerable  variety.  The  most  re- 
markable is  the  Labrador  tea-plant,  growing  in  swanii>s  to  the 
height  of  three  feet,  the  leaves  of  which  are  used  by  Indians 
and  hunters  in  place  of  tea.  The  ground  laurel  is  a  low  runn'ng 
shmb,  with  leaves  nearly  two  inches  in  length,  on  long  stalks, 
rough,  leathery,  and  shining.     Its  white  fragrant  flowers  grow 


20G 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


fit  the  ends  of  the  branches.  There  is  a  great  variety  of  rc- 
cuniWcnt  trailing  evergreens.  The  Kalmia  family  abounds  ju 
the  swampy  grounds,  its  beautiful  clusters  of  red  and  pale  rose- 
colored  flowers  ])eing  very  agreeal)le  to  the  eye. 

One  of  the  most  characteristic  features  of  the  country  is  the 
innnense  variety  and  abundance  of  berry-bearing  plants.  Thc-e 
cov(M'  every  swani})  and  open  rocky  tract,  and  furnish  exccllrni 
fruit  for  preserves.  Over  many  thousands  of  uncultivated  acres 
they  carjx't  the  soil.  The  i)rincipal  varieties  are  the  hurllc- 
l)erry — called  in  the  vernacular  "hurts" — the  whortleberry  in 
sevei-al  kinds,  the  cranlierry,  and  i)artridgeberry.  The  Buhus, 
(Jliinaaemoru!^,  known  locally  as  the  bake-apple  berry,  l)i'l()iii>s 
to  the  same  genus  as  the  1)lackl)erry  and  raspberry,  and  is 
the  finest  of  it.s  class. 

The  wild  strawberry  and  raspberry  are  most  al)undant.  iiiid 
make  a  delicious  preserve.  The  maidenhair,  or  capillairc,  i>  a 
little  trailing  })lant  l)elonging  to  the  heath  family.  Tt  bears  a 
litll(!  fruit,  white,  and  like  an  ant's  (^g^^-,  which  contains  so  huh  li 
saeeharine  matter  as  to  be  lusciously  sweet  when  made  into  a 
jam  or  preserve.  Berry-picking  is  (juite  an  industry  at  a  cer- 
tain season,  and  might  be  indefinitely  expanded. 

Of  the  wild  cherries  the  choke-cherry  is  most  abundant,  and 
often  forms  an  ornamental  tree  in  gardens.  The  fruit  is  i)en- 
dulous  and  grape-like,  the  flowers  of  a  yellowish-white  color. 
There  is  also  ii  kind  of  a  wild  prickly  g()ose])erry. 

The  flowering  plants  and  ferns  are  in  such  variet}'  tlia*  a 
small  volume  would  be  re(iuired  for  their  description.  Henry 
Keeks,  F.L.S.,  F.Z.S.,  in  a  paper  read  before  the  Linneuu 
Society,  in  18(59,  enumerated  three  hundred  and  seventy-one 
species  of  tlowering  plants  and  ferns,  besides  varieties,  in  New- 
foundland, and  he  oidy  visited  the  we  tern  side  of  the  islainl. 
He  says,  of  these,  six,  besides  Calluna  vuh/ari.H  and  Jinlra- 
cJihiiii  Liiiian'a,  are  new  to  the  flora  of  North  America,  while 
three  of  them,  to  which  I  have  provisionally  given  names,  ap- 
pear not  to  have  been  previously  described.  He  emnneraled 
iifteen  siiecies  of  ferns  in  this  pai)er,  and  thirty-eight  s[)ecies  of 
Gnnnfiiecv,  or  grasses. 

Of  the  wikl  flowers,  the  tribe  of  lilies  are  developed  \n 
great  heauty  and  magnificence.     The  iris  dota  every  marsh  with 


VEGETABLE  KIXGDOJf. 


207 


its  rich  blue  flowers,  tiiul  the  l)hie-eyecl  grass  assists  the  rich 
display.  The  dog's  tooth,  he;irt's-ease,  lily  of  the  valley,  Solo- 
mon's seal,  Jacob's  ladder,  coluinbine,  wild  lupine,  bcll-llowers, 
etc.,  ar(!  abujidant.  The  pitcher  plant  is  one  ol"  the  most  r«;- 
niai'kable  productions  of  the  swampy  grounds.  Its  leaves  are 
tubular,  or  pitcher-shai)ed,  and  tilled  with  al)out  a  wine-glassful 
of  pure  water.  The  flower  is  purple,  large,  and  handsonu', 
shaped  like  a  lady's  saddle,  and  surrounded  with  a  number  of 
pitchers,  the  lids  of  which  e.\[)and  or  shut,  according  to  the 
necessities  of  the  plant.  The  pitchers  are  lined  with  inverted 
hairs,  bending  downward,  j)erniitting  insects  to  enter  readily 
enough,  but  preventing  their  escajjc.  The  pitcher  j)lant  is  one 
of  the  carnivorous  order,  and  digests  the  flies  which  enter  its 
leaves. 

The  grasses  arc  very  rich  and  abundant,  some  magniflcent 
specimens  being  found.  The  red  and  white  natural  clover  is 
tbund  in  great  abundance  ;  also,  near  the  sea,  the  vetch  grows 
in  vast  (juantities. 

All  the  connnon  English  flowers  thrive  well  in  sheltered 
gardens,  even  the  dahlia  flourishing  with  a  little  care  in  winter. 
Perennials  do  better  than  annuals. 

(iarden  vegetables  of  all  kinds  grow  exceedingly  well,  and  are 
of  excellent  quality.  The  })otatoes  produced  in  the  island  are 
unsurpassed  elsewhere.  Cucumbers,  vegetable  marrows,  mel- 
ons, cab])ages,  cauliflowers,  broccoli,  beans,  parsnips,  carrots, 
l)eas,  etc.,  grow  luxuriantly.  The  garden  strawberry,  rasp- 
berry, gooseberry,  are  as  good  as  in  any  other  country.  On 
llu'  eastern  side  of  the  island  the  soil  and  climate  are  not  favor- 
!ilil(!  to  the  growth  of  pc^ars,  a^jples,  jjlums,  etc.,  though  th(;sc 
arc!  grown  and  ripened  occasionally.  In  the  sJieltered  valleys 
of  the  interior  there  is  no  reason  why  ap[)les,  cherries,  jiears, 
damsons,  andother  kindred  fruits,  should  not  be  grown  success- 
fully as  they  arc  in  the  valleys  of  Nova  Scotia. 


I 


I 


;    II 

I 


I  ) 


ji 


.  i^  H 


nr^^fT- 

in     ' 

1  f     • 

\  1    «: 

!!>■ 

'    !• 

1                 ^' 

.'         ,      , 

': ''.  '■   ■ 

'■'"    [;■    ■ 

1 

r, 

P 

' 

j.l  ■■ 


208 


JVr  ITFO  UNDLAND. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

NEWFOUNDLAND  AS   A  SPORTING  COUNTRY. 

Fishing  and  shooting  —  The  willow  grouse,  or  ptarmigan  —  Opening  of  the 
season  —  The  wild  goose  and  black  duck  —  Door-stalking  —  Caribou  shooting 
—  Lord  Dunravcn  on  exploration  and  sport  —  The  moose  and  the  caribou. 

In  many  respects  Newfoundland  may  be  regarded  its  the 
very  paradise  of  sportsmen.  Its  countless  lakes  and  ponds 
abound  with  trout  of  the  finest  description,  and  are  the  abodes 
of  the  wild  goose,  the  wild  duck,  and  other  fresh-water  fowl. 
The  willow  grouse  or  ptarmigan,  the  rock  ptarmigan,  the  ciulcw, 
the  plover,  the  snipe,  are  found,  in  the  pro[)er  season,  all  over 
the  island,  on  the  great  "barrens,"  or  in  the  marshy  grounds, 
in  innnense  numbers.  The  sea-pigeons  and  guillemots,  or 
"  murrs "  and  "  turrs "  as  they  are  called  in  the  vernaciilar, 
are  seen  all  around  the  shores  and  islands.  The  large  Arctic 
hare,  and  the  American  hare,  called  a  "  rabbit"  by  the  natives, 
are  to  ])e  met  with  —  especially  the  latter  —  in  abundance. 
Above  all,  the  noblo  caribou  or  reindeer,  in  vast  herds,  traverse 
the  island  in  periodical  migrations  from  north  to  south,  and 
furnish  the  highest  prizes  for  the  sportsman.  Finer  salmon 
streams  than  those  of  Xewfoundland  naturally  are,  could  be  found 
nowhere  ;  but  by  want  of  due  protection  they  have  unfortunately 
degenerated.  Still  the  enthusiastic  angler  can  find,  in  many 
places,  excellent  sport,  and  speedily  fill  his  l)asket.  For  more 
adventiu'ous  sportsmen  there  arc  the  bear  and  the  wolf,  though 
both  are  scarce  and  difficult  to  find.  The  beaver  and  the  otter 
prcisent  attractions  to  some,  and  can  bo  found  by  the  lonely 
lakes  of  the  interior.  AVhen  the  country  is  rendered  more 
accessible  b3'^  railroads,  the  island  will,  in  the  autumn  months, 
attract  sportsmen  and  tourists  from  other  lands  in  increasing 
numbers. 


NEWFOUXDLAXD  AS  A   SPORTTXG   COUXTRY. 


209 


The  Hncst  sport,  perhaps,  is  the  ptaniiiiran  shoot iiiLT.  wliieh 
heiiiiis  on  the  1st  of  Se[)teinl)i'r.  These  line  birds,  ealied  erro- 
neously "  [):irtri(lgo"  I)y  th(!  iuhal)it!Uits,  are  the  willow  ufrouso 
{L'Kjopus  alhus).  They  are  quite  ecjual  to  the  Seoteh  irrouse, 
and  reseinhle  tlieni  .so  elosely  that  it  is  ditlieuit  to  make  out  any 
sj)eeitic  dilFerenee  between  the  red  irrouse,  goreock  or  mooreoek 
ot"  Seothuul  and  those  of  Newfoundland.  As  a  table  l)ird  they 
are  unsurpassed  in  richness  and  (hdieaey  of  flavor.  A  Itraee  of 
them  weighs,  in  season,  thr(!e  to  three  and  a  half  pounds.  In 
ScptcMuber,  after  feeding  on  th(;  wild  berries,  they  are  in  exeel- 
lent  eondition.  In  eertain  localities,  and  es[)ecially  at  some  dis- 
tance from  the  settlements,  they  are  in  great  al)undanc(>.  To  a 
sportsman  there  can  be  nothing  more  enjoyable  than  a  day's 
l)tarmigan  shooting  over  tlie  breezy  "  barrens  "  inline  autumn 
W(>ather.  The  air  is  thcMi  cool  and  bracing.  The  sciMiery  is 
vai-ied  and  charming.  The  surface  of  the  country  is  dotted  with 
bright  lakelets  on  which  float  the  white  and  yellow  M'ater-lilies  ; 
the  low  rounded  hills  are  covered  to  the  sunnnits  with  the  dark 
green  spruce;  ''the  barrens,"  or  open  spaces  clear  of  wood, 
where  the  i*;amo  is  to  be  souixht,  ar(>  clad  in  the  sober  ])rown  of 
autunm ;  the  scent  of  the  wild  flowers  is  delicious,  and  near  the 
coast  glimpses  of  the  restless  Atlantic  are  obtained  from  the 
higher  grounds  away  in  the  far  distance. 

In  summer  the  plumage  of  the  ptarmigan  is  brownish  ash-gray 
in  color,  mottled  and  barred  with  dusky  sjjots.  This  color, 
when  the  frost  sets  in,  gradually  disai)pears  as  in  the  Ali)ine 
hare  ;  and  at  length,  when  the  snow  falls  it  is  almost  i)uro  white. 
These  remarkable  changes  effected,  as  in  the  northern  hare, 
without  loss  of  substance,  tit  it  a(lmiral)ly  for  its  situation,  as 
tli(^  sportsman,  if  he  has  not  a  dog  used  to  game,  may  almost 
walk  over  the  l)ird,  with  nit  putting  it  up,  when  the  snow  is 
on  the  ground.  The  ptarmigan  is  feathered  and  haired  down 
tlu^  legs  and  between  the  toes,  and  may  be  distinguished  at  a 
considerable  distance,  l)y  the  red  about  the  eye.  These  tin(> 
birds  are  found  all  over  the  island,  and  it  is  no  uncommon  thing 
lor  a  sports. iian  to  bag,  in  a  day,  from  a  dozen  to  twenty  brace. 

In  addition  to  the  ptarmigan,  the  sportsman  meets  with  the 
wild  goose,  which  l)reeds  in  the  most  secluded  ponds,  and  brings 


i   F 


210 


NEWFOUiVDLAyD. 


III 

\           . 

ft  1  ? ' 

1 

■    .    •  ■    ; 

ih 


its  young  ones  down  tho  brooks  at  the  latter  end  of  June  and 
beginning  of  July.  They  arc  then  full-grown.  The  black  duck 
is  also  found  in  fresh-water  during  summer.  Its  plumage  is  a 
dark  sombre  brown  ;  it  is  a1)undant  in  some  ^  ^ces,  but  difficult 
to  approach.  Of  all  tal)le-l)irds  the  black  duck  is  considered 
the  finest.  The  curlew,  in  their  southern  migi'ation,  arrive  from 
Labrador  late  in  autunm,  and  after  feeding  there  on  the  wild 
berries  they  are  almost  balls  of  fat,  and  in  flavor  very  deli-ious. 
The  wild  goose  of  Newfoundland  is  a  remarkably  fine  bird,  easily 
domesticated,  but  does  not  breed  when  tamed.  It  is  about  the 
size  of  a  conmiou  goose,  l)ut  with  a  more  swan-like  form,  and 
has  a  black  ring  round  its  neck.  It  is  a  variety  of  Anser  cana- 
densis. 

While  neiti.er  reptile  noi  nny  noxious  creature  whatever  is 
known  to  exist  in  Newfoundland,  Nature  has  bountifully  stocked 
the  island  with  noble  herds  of  caribou,  or  reindeer,  finer  Ib-m 
those  of  which  Norway  and  Lapland  can  boast,  specimens  of 
which  are  found  ,it  times  to  weigh  over  six  hundred  poinids. 
The  vast  number  t)f  deer-paths  which,  like  a  net-work,  seam  the 
surface  of  the  interior  in  all  directions,  show  that  the  number  of 
deer  nuist  be  enornious.  Their  migrations  are  as  regular  as  the 
seasons  between  the  south-eastern  and  n-jith- western  portions 
of  the  island.  The  winter  months  are  passed  in  the  south,  where 
"browse"  is  plentiful,  and  the  snow  is  not  so  deep  as  to  prevent 
them  reachiiiL""  the  Iichen^  anud  the  lower  grounds.  In  .March, 
when  tho  sun  becomes  more  i)owerful,  so  that  the  snow  is  soft- 
ened by  its  rays,  j)ermitting  them  to  scrape  it  off  and  reach  the 
herbage  l)eneath,  the  reindeer  turn  their  faces  towards  the  n(;rth- 
west  and  begin  their  spring  migration.  They  do  not  movi'  in 
large  bodies,  for  in  that  case  they  could  not  graze  freely;  but 
in  herds  of  from  twenty  to  two  hundred  each,  Avhich  are  con- 
nected b}^  stniggicrs  or  piipiets,  tho  animals  *rolIowing  one 
another  in  sinir'  '  tile  a  few  vard^  or  feet  a])art. 

The  whole  surface  of  the  country  is  now  alive  with  deer,  .is 
herd  follows  herd  m  rapid  succession,  each  led  by  a  noble  slug 
as  tall  as  a  horse,  and  all  bending  their  course  in  paiallcl  lines 
towards  the  hills  of  the  west  and  north-west.  II<'re  they  arrive 
from  the  middle  lo  the  end  of  April,  and  amid  the  rocky  barri'us 


NEWFOUNDLAND  AS    1   SPORTING   COUNTRY. 


211 


and  mountains,  where  their  favorite  mossy  food  most  abounds, 
they  browse  till  October.  In  May  or  June  they  bring  forth 
their  young  in  these  solitudes,  wjiere  they  meet  with  a  pro- 
fusion of  mountain  herbage,  and  where,  as  compared  with  the 
lowlando,  they  are  free  from  the  persecution  of  flies.  So  soon, 
however,  as  the  frosts  of  October  l)egin  to  nip  the  vegetation, 
they  turn  towards  the  south  and  repeat  their  long  march  in  the 
same  manner,  pursuing  the  same  paths  as  when  on  their  north- 
ern migration.  Thus,  for  unknown  periods,  have  these  innu- 
meral)le  herds  ])een  movin"'  alono;  the  same  route,  unless  when 
interrupted  by  the  Indians  or  'he  irregularities  of  the  seasons. 
Their  movements  are  generally  in  parallel  lines,  unless  where 
the  narrow  necks  of  land  separating  lakes,  or  the  running 
waters  or  straits  uniting  them,  or  intervening  chains  of  hills, 
cause  them  to  concentrate  on  one  point.  It  was  at  such  points 
that  the  Red  Indians  were  accustomed  to  wait  for  the  deer  and 
slaughter  them  in  great  numbers.  They  also  constructed  deer- 
fences  along  river-courses,  with  openings  or  passes  at  intervals 
for  the  deer  to  reach  the  ri;  er  and  swim  across.  Here,  when 
in  the  water,  they  were  killed,  or  struck  down  at  the  narrower 
parts  of  the  fence  by  those  who  were  on  the  watch. 

September  and  October  arc  the  months  for  deer-stalking  in 
Newfoundland.  Some  knowledge  of  the  country  and  the  as- 
sistance of  Micmac  guides  are  requisite.  There  are  favorite 
hunting-grounds  known  to  the  initiated,  where  this  exciting 
sport  can  be  enjoyed  in  perfection.  One  of  the  best  of  these  is 
on  the  "Barrens,"  overlooking  Grand  Lake,  op[)osite  the  north- 
ern end  of  the  great  island.  From  this  island  the  deer  cross  in 
large  numbers,  when  setting  out  on  their  t-outhern  migration, 
and  collect  in  herds  on  the  hills  over  the  lake.  The  "  White 
Hills,"  in  the  neighborhood  of  Hall's  Bay,  is  another  favorite 
stalkinff-jiround.  Inland,  from  various  settlein(Mi(s  on  the 
southern  shore,  late  in  the  autunm  the  deer  can  be  hunted  with 
nuu'h  success. 

The  best  account  of  caribou-shooting  in  Newfoundland  is  to 
I'o  found  in  "  Sporting  Notes  in  Newfoundland,"  by  Captain 
Kcmiedy,  of  II.M.S.  "Druid."  The  substance  of  this  little 
pamphlet,  which  is  written  with  much  s})irit  and  with  all  the 


'ri\ 


* : 


ir^ 


ffij  ■ 


^l' 


212 


A^^"  WFO  UNDLAND. 


enthusiasm  of  the  genuine  sportsman,  appeared  in  the  "Field" 
newspai)er  at  various  times.  Captain  Kennedy  says  of  th^^ 
Newfoundland  deer:  "In  general  appearance  the  caribou  some- 
what resemhh's  a  gigantic  goat ;  the  body  is  heavier  and  more 
chimsy  than  that  of  the  red  deer,  the  legs  shorter  and  stouter, 
feet  broader,  head  more  cow-like,  eyes  smaller,  ears  shorter, 
and  nostrils  larger.  The  skin  is  l)rown  in  sunnner,  brown  and 
•white  in  autumn,  and  white  in  winter.  It  is  extremely  tliick- 
and  beautifull}'  sol'l,  being  covered  Avitli  thick  wool  underneatli 
and  long  whil(;  or  mottled  hairs  over  all.  This  gives  it  a  soft, 
springy  touch,  unlike  the  wiry  hair  of  the  red  deer.  The 
antlers  of  the  caribou  stag  are  palmated,  sweei)ing  backwards, 
and  of  magnificent  proportions,  the  brow  antlers  meeting  over 
the  nose,  like  a  i)air  of  hands  clasped  in  the  attitude  of  prayer. 
In  all  resjjects  the  animal  is  admirably  provided  to  resist  the  in- 
clement climates  he  is  destined  to  inhabit.  Ilis  short,  strong  legs 
carry  him  over  ground  such  as  no  horse  could  travcise,  and  his 
bi'oad  foot  i)revents  him  from  sinking  deep  into  the  snow.  A 
popular  delusion  is  that  the  palmated  horns  of  the  caribou  are 
given  him  to  scrape  away  the  snow  to  reach  the  lichen  u[)()n 
which  he  feeds.  I  am  certain  that  it  is  nothing  of  the  kind, 
and  I  can  prove  it.  The  horns  are  supplied  solely  for  the 
pur[)ose  of  iighting.  The  deer  turns  up  the  snow  with  his  nose, 
which  is  covered  with  hard  skin  for  the  purpose.  lint  the 
proof  that  the  horns  are  not  intended  or  used  for  scra[)ing  tlio 
snow  is  that  ^vhen  the  snow  is  on  the  ground  the  deer  have 
not  got  any  horns.  The  stags  shed  their  horns  in  November, 
after  tlu;  rutting  season,  and  they  attain  their  full  growtii  in 
August.  In  Septcmiber  they  arc  clear  of  the  velvet,  and  all 
ready  fcu'  action,  and  well  they  use;  tluMU.  During  the  ruttinLr 
season,  Avhich  commences  about  the  third  week  in  September, 
and  lasts  a  fortnight,  tei-ril>le  battles  take  place,  and  it  is  raic 
to  find  a  full-grown  stag  whose  antlers  are  not  battered  abont 
the  brow-antlers  especially,  and  the  animal  himself  often  badly 
WH)unded  about  the  neck  and  forelegs.  On  these  occasions  the 
deer  generally  kneel  down  and  butt  each  other.  In  defendini^ 
themselves  against  wolves  theiy  use  their  fondegs  with  g"<Hl 
ellett.     Uidike  the  rest  of  the  deer  trilie,  tlu>  femali!  caribiui 


;(  1 


NEWFOUNDLAND  AH  A  SPORTING   COUNTRY. 


213 


carries  antlers,  but  not  always.  Slio  hriu^s  forth  her  young  In 
iNIay,  Avhcn  two  years  old,  retainuH^'  her  liorns  till  then.  Barren 
deer  shed  their  liorns  in  winter.  A  fuU-izrown  earihou  hind  is 
aboui  the  size  of  a  red  deer  staij ;  and  a  full-nrown  stai;:  i"  his 
prime,  say  from  six  to  ten  years  old,  will  weigh  500  lbs.  clear, 
against  say  twenty  stone  of  a  red  deer  stag." 

Ca[)tain  Kennedy  docs  not  think  well  of  rod-tishiiig  for 
salmon,  owing  to  the  fact  that  many  of  the  l)est  salmon  rivers 
have  l)een  ruined  by  barring,  sweeping  with  nets,  tra[)s,  weirs, 
or  mill-dams.  8ea-trout  tishing,  he  says,  is  excellent,  if  at  the 
right  si)ot  at  the  right  time.  Still  he  describes  some  s[)lendid 
fishing  excursions,  which  he  enjoyed  on  several  occasions. 

Lord  Dunraven  has  given  an  interesting  account  of  a  brief 
hunting;  excursion  in  the  island,  in  "The  >iineteenth  Century"' 
'or  flanuary,  1881.  He  says,  "Xewfoundland  is  not  nuich 
^■isited  1)y  Englishmen.  I  know  not  why,  for  it  is  the  nearest 
and  most  accessible  of  all  their  colonies,  and  it  oilers  a  good 
field  for  exploration  and  for  sport.  The  interior  of  a  great  part 
of  the  island,  all  the  northern  [)art  of  it,  in  fact,  is  almost  un- 
known. The  variet}'  of  game  is  not  great ;  there  are  no  moose 
or  small  deer,  and  I)ears  are,  strange  to  say,  very  scarce  ;  but 
caribou  arc  plentiful,  and  the  Newfoundland  stags  are  finer  by 
far  than  anv  to  be  found  in  auv  portion  of  the  contincMit  of 
North  America.  The  caribou  or  reindeer  are  wtting  scarce,  as 
they  are  also  in  every  other  accessible  [)lace.  Constant  travel 
across  the  island  interferes  with  their  annual  migration  from 
north  ^o  south  and  from  south  to  north.  They  are  no  longer  to 
be  seen  crossing  Sandy  I'ond  in  vast  herds  in  the  s[)ring  and 
fall,  but  no  doubt  they  anj  still  [)retty  i)lentit'ul  in  some  renioli; 
parts  of  the  country.  The  shores  of  Xewfoundland  are  indented 
with  numerous  aid  t,'xc(>lleiit  harbors;  the  interior  is  full  of 
lakes,  and  is  traversed  by  many  streams  navigable  for  canoes. 
Fur  is  pretty  plentiful,  wild  fowl  and  grouse  abundant,  and 
the  creeks  and  rivers  are  full  of  salmon  and  trout." 

In  "  Forest  Life  in  Acadic;,"  C.ajitain  Campbell  Hardy,  Iv.  A., 
ill  a  s[)ecial  chapter  on  Newfoundland,  says:  "I  know  of  no 
country  so  near  Fngland  which  oilers  the  same  amount  of 
inducement  to  the  explorer,  naturalist,  or  sportsman  as  Now 


11 


ift 


'If 

':i' 


I     ]     .      i 


ifil 


2U 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


foic  1.1  land.  To  one  who  combines  the  advantages  of  a  good 
prac'ticaJ,  knowledge  of  geology  with  the  love  of  sport  the 
interior  of  this  great  island,  much  of  which  is  quite  unknown, 
may  indeed  prove  a  field  of  valuable  and  remunerative  discovery, 
for  its  mineral  resources,  now  under  the  examination  of  a 
Government  geological  survey,  are  unquestionably  of  vast 
importance,  and  quite  undeveloped.  As  a  field  for  s})ort, 
likewise,  Newfoundland  is  but  little  known.  Some  half-dozen 
or  yo  of  regular  visitors  from  the  continent,  one  or  two  resident 
sportsmen,  and  the  same  number  from  England,  comprise  the 
list  of  those  who  have  encamped  in  its  vast  solitudes  in  quest 
of  its  princij)al  large  game  —  the  caribou  —  which  is  scattered 
more  or  less  abundantly  over  an  area  of  some  twenty-ti\c 
thousand  scjuare  miles  of  unbroken  wilderness," 

Ca[)tain  Hardy,  in  a  description  of  moose-calling,  says  :  "  Few 
white  hunters  have  succeeded  in  obtainini;  the  amount  of  skill 
ro(|uisite  in  palming  off  this  strange  deceit  upon  an  animal  so 
cautiou.*-  and  possessing  such  exquisite  senses  as  the  moose.  It 
is  a  gift  of  the  Indian,  whose  soft,  well-modulated  voice  can 
imitate  the  calls  of  nearly  every  denizen  of  the  forest."  The 
following  notes  on  their  method  of  stalking  the  moose  are  as 
graphic  as  they  are  interesting :  — 


"  September  is  the  first  month  for  moose-calling,  the  season 
lasting  for  some  six  weeks.  I  have  seen  one  brought  up  as  late 
as  the  23d  of  October. 

"  The  moose  is  now  in  his  prime  ;  the  great  i>almated  horns, 
which  have  been  growing  rapidly  during  the  sunnner,  are  firm 
as  rock,  and  the  hitherto  protecting  covering  of  velvet-like  skin 
has  shrivelled  up  and  disappeared  by  rubbing  against  stuinjjs 
and  branches,  leaving  the  tines  smooth,  sharp,  and  ready  for  the 
combat. 

"  The  bracing  frosty  air  of  the  autumnal  nights  makes  IIk^ 
moose  a  great  rambler,  and  in  a  short  time  districts,  which 
before  would  only  give  evidence  of  his  presence  by  an  occasioniil 
track,  now  show  countless  impressions  in  the  swamps,  by  the 
sides  of  lakes,  and  on  the  mossy  bogs.  He  has  found  his  voice 
too,  and,  whore  moose  are  numerous,  the  hitherto  silent  woods 


ki 


m 

|i 

i 

ii 

11 

f 

i 

!        ' 

■    < 
:         1 

i 

i                   -             , 

1 

r    1 

1 

iii .''  < 

' 

Ij)   '"';\ 

NEWFOUNDLAND  AS  A   SPORTING   COUNTRY. 


215 


resound  with  the  plaintive  call  of  the  cow,  the  grunting  response 
of  her  mate,  and  the  crashings  of  dead  trees,  as  the  horns  are 
rapidly  drawn  across  them  to  overawe  an  approaching  rival. 

"This  call  of  the  cow-moose  is  imitated  l»y  the  Indian  hunter 
through  a  trumpet  made  of  birch  bark  rolled  up  in  the  form  of 
a  cone,  about  two  feet  in  length ;  and  the  deceit  is  generally 
attempted  by  moonlight,  or  in  the  early  morning  in  the  twilight 
preceding  sunrise  —  seldom  after.  Secreting  himself  behind  a 
sheltering  clump  of  J)ushes  or  rocks,  on  the  edge  of  the  forest 
])arren,  on  some  favorable  night  in  September  or  October,  when 
the  moon  is  near  its  full,  and  not  a  breath  of  wind  stirs  the 
foliage,  the  hunter  utters  the  plaintive  call  to  allure  the  monarch 
of  the  forest  to  his  destruction.  The  startling  and  strange  sound 
reverberates  through  the  country,  and  as  its  echoes  die  away, 
and  everything  resumes  the  wonderful  silence  of  the  woods  on 
a  calm  frosty  night  in  the  fall,  he  drops  his  birchen  trumpet  in 
the  bushes,  and  assumes  the  attitude  of  intense  listening. 
Perhaps  there  is  no  response ;  when,  after  an  interval  of  al)out 
fifteen  minutes,  he  ascends  a  small  tree,  so  as  to  give  greater 
ra!ige  to  the  sound,  and  again  sends  his  wild  call  pealing 
through  the  woods.  Presently  a  low  grunt,  (juickly  repeated, 
comes  from  over  some  distant  hill,  and  snaj)pings  of  branches, 
and  falling  trees,  attest  the  approach  of  the  bull ;  perhaps  there 
is  a  pause  —  not  a  sound  to  be  heard  for  some  moments.  The 
hunter,  now  doubly  careful,  knowing  that  his  voice  is  criticised 
by  the  exquisite  ear  of  the  bull,  kneels  down,  and,  thrusting 
the  mouth  of  his  '  call '  into  the  bushes  close  to  the  ground, 
gives  vent  to  a  lower  and  more  plaintive  sound,  intend(!d  to 
convey  the  idea  of  impatience  and  rc[)r<)ach.  It  has  probably 
the  desired  effect;  an  answer  is  given,  the  snappings  of 
branches  are  resumed,  and  presently  the  moose  stalks  into  the 
middle  of  the  moonlit  barren,  or  skirts  its  sides  in  the  direction 
of  the  sound.  A  few  paces  farther  —  a  tlasii  and  report  from 
behind  the  little  clump  of  concealing  bushes,  and  the  great 
carcass  sinks  into  the  laurels  and  mosses  which  (•ar[)et  the 
plains.  " 

In  regard  to  the  caribou,  Captain  Hardy  says  :  "It  is  only 
to  be  approached  by  the  sportsman  with  the  assistance  of  a 


(I 

v.; 


' 


t 


tt 


i|l 


r•^ 


II;: 


t 


r||i-J 


h    ' 


210 


NE  WFOUNDLAND. 


regular  Indian  hunter.  In  old  times  the  Indians  posse.sH^cd 
and  practised  the  art  of  calling  tiie  buck  in  Sei)tenil)er,  as 
they  now  do  the  bull-moose,  the  call-note  being  u  short 
hoarse  bellow  ;  this  art,  however,  is  lost,  and  at  the  present 
day  the  animal  is  shot  by  stali>:ing,  or  'creeping'  as  it  is  locally 
termed  ;  that  is,  advancinir  slealthily  iuid  in  the  footsteps  of  tlu, 
Indian,  l)earing  ,  mi",  Uu  hopele-.sness  >  f  success  should 
souiid,  ,'-  "h!  or  ;-;m  !it  :;ivo  A'  amiug  of  api)roaching  danger. 
As  witli  the  n- losi  'i-  ;  iter  faculty  seems  to  impress  the 
caril)ou  most  Avith  a  i.'elin;L.  *"  alarm,  Avhich  is  evinced  at  an 
almost  incredil)le  distance  from  the  ol)ject  and  fully  accounted 
for,  as  a  general  fact,  l)y  the  size  of  the  nasal  cavity,  and  the 
developnujnt  of  the  cartilage  of  the  septum.  As  the  caribou 
generally  travels  and  feeds  do/.n  wind,  tlie  wonderful  tact  of 
the  Indian  is  indispensable  in  a  forest  country,  where  the  game 
cannot  be  sighted  from  a  <listancc  as  on  the  tjeldes  of  Scandina- 
via or  Scottish  hills.  Of  course,  however,  on  the  })lateaux  of 
Newfoundland  and  Labrador,  and  on  the  large  caribou  {)lains 
of  Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick,  less  Indiau  craft  is 
brought  into  play,  and  the  sport  becomes  assimilated  to  that  of 
deer-stalking. 

"It  is  almost  hoi)eless  to  attempt  an  explanation  of  the 
Indian's  art  of  hunting  in  the  woods  —  stalking  an  invisible 
quarry  ever  on  the  watcii  and  constantly  on  the  move,  through 
an  cA'cr-varying  succession  of  swamps,  burnt  country,  or  thick 
forest.  A  review  of  all  tin;  shifts  and  exixMliimts  practised  in 
creei)ing,  from  tlu;  tirst  linding  of  rcent  tracks  to  the  exciting 
moment  when  the  Indian  whispers,  'Quite  fresh;  put  on  cap,' 
would  1)(^  impracticabl(>.  1  confess  that,  like  many  other  young 
hunters,  or  like  the  conceited  blundering  settlers,  who  are  for- 
ever cruising  through  the  woods,  and  doing  little  elst;  (save  b}' 
a  chance  shot)  than  scaring  the  country,  1  once  fondly  hoped  to 
be  able  to  master  the  art,  and  to  hunt  on  my  own  account. 
FilU'cn  years'  cxp<'ricnce  has  undeceived  me,  and  compels  me 
to  acknowledge  the  superiority  of  the  red  man  in  all  matters 
relating  to  the  art  of  'venerie'  in  the  American  wood- 
lands. 

"When  brought  up  to  the  game  in  the  forest,  there  is,  also, 


NEWFOUXDLAND  AS  A   SPORTING   COUNTRY. 


217 


omo  difficrlty  in  ro-lizing  tho  presence  of  the  cai'i1)()u.  At 
.ill  times  of  the  yoiir  its  color  is  so  similar  to  the  p»'r\.i(lin<^ 

lucs  of  the  woods,  that  the  animui,  when  in  repose,  is  exceed- 
higly  Jifficult  of  detection  ;  in  winter,  cs})ocially  when  standing 
amongst  the  snow-dapi)!e(l  stems  of  mixed  spruce  and  hiich 
wood  •,  th^}  are  so  hard  to  see,  and  tiie'r  light  gray  hue  renders 
the  judging  of  distance  and  aim  so  uncertain,  that  many  escape 
the  hunter's  ])ullet  at  distances,  and  under  circumstances  which 
should  otherwise  admit  of  no  excuse  for  a  miss." 


»;• 


%•> 


'  'II 
'•J 


m 


1,1   1 


PART    III. 
THE   FISHEEIES 


i: 


H: 


'  I 


ii 


CHAPTER  I. 


THE  HISTORY  AND  CONDITION  OF  THE  CODFISH  INDUSTRIES. 

Export  comparisons  —  The  earliest  fishermen  on  the  Newf r  undland  coasts  —  Tlie 
West  of  England  men  —  Driving  out  settlers  —  Th'  rivalry  of  France  and 
England  —  French  and  American  fishing  enterprises  .supported  by  Ixjunties 
—  Statistical  records  of  population  —  The  rise  nnd  progress  of  tiie  cod- 
fishery  —  The  Groat  Banks  —  Want  of  organization  and  scientific  observa- 
tion—  Number  of  persons  engaged  in  the  staple  trade  —  Value  of  the 
fisheries  to  France  and  England  —  The  American  catcii  of  codfish  on  the 
Banks  —  Newfoundland  and  the  Dominion  of  Canada  —  European  cod-pro- 
ducing countries — The  "catcii"  in  Norway  —  Newfoundland  compared 
with  the  principal  sea-fisheries  of  the  world. 

The  fisheries  of  Newfoundland  constitute  the  grand  .«itai)le 
industry  of  the  country.  The  trade  of  the  colony  dci)eii(ls 
mainly  on  the  exportation  of  fish  and  oil.  In  one  departnuMit 
of  industry  Newfoundland  is  in  advance  of  all  other  countries. 
Her  cod-fisheries  are  the  most  extensive  the  world  has  ever 
seen.  If,  for  the  purpose  of  comparison,  we  take  the  five  years 
from  1871  to  187.'),  the  average  annual  export  of  codfish  from 
Newfoundland  during  this  period  was  1,333,009  quintals,  of 
11211).  weight.  During  the  same  years  the  average  export  of 
codfish  from  the  Dominion  of  Canada  was  785,42.5  quintals ; 
and  that  of  Norway,  7.31,382  quintals.  The  cod  are  taken  on 
the  shores  of  the  island,  on  the  Banks,  and  along  the  coast  of 
Labrador.  The  Bank  fishery  is  now  chiefly  i)rosecuted  by  the 
French  and  Americans,  Newfoundlanders  occupying  themselves 
mainly  with  the  shore  and  Lal)rador  fishery.  The  aggregate 
(218) 


!      1! 


THE  CODFISH  INDUSTRIES. 


219 


annutil  catch  of  cod  at  present  hy  the  three  nationalities  in  the 
North  American  waters,  is  estimated  at  3,700,000  quintals. 
The  number  of  codfish  captured  to  make  up  this  weight  of 
dried  fish,  allowing  forty  fish  for  a  quintal,  would  reach 
150,000,000.  Thus  prolific  in  cod  are  the  enc()mi)assing  seas 
of  the  island.  The  value  of  3,700,000  quintals,  at  $4,  would 
be  $14,800,000. 

The  cod-fishery  has  been  prosecuted  during  the  last  three 
hundred  and  seventy-eight  years ;  but,  notwithstanding  the 
enormous  drafts  every  year,  the  fishing-grounds  show  no  signs 
of  exhaustion,  and,  to  all  appearance,  the  supply  of  cod  is  as 
abundant  as  ever.  Very  soon  after  Cabot's  discovery  of  the 
island,  and  his  report  of  the  abundance  of  cod  in  the  waters, 
the  Basques,  the  most  enterprising  fishermen  of  those  days, 
began  to  fish  on  the  coast.  The  island  was  discovered  in  1497, 
and  in  1504,  according  to  Pcre  Fournier,  these  Basques  Avere 
busy  drawing  cod  from  the  waters,  and  had  given  the  name 
Baccalaos,  or  Codlands,  to  Newfoundland,  Nova  Scotia,  and 
Cape  Breton,  the  countries  adjacent  to  the  fishing-grounds. 
Thus,  though  discovered  by  English  navigators,  other  nation- 
alities w^ere  the  first  to  profit  by  the  riches  of  those  seas  ;  and 
for  a  long  period  the  fishermen  of  the  Basque  provinces,  of 
Normandy  and  Brittany,  were  alone  engaged  in  the  cod-fishery 
on  these  coasts.^  The  English  at  that  time  were  mainly 
occupied  with  a  lucrative  fis!iery  on  the  coasts  of  Iceland,  much 
nearer  home.  In  Purchas' "  His  Pilgrims,"  a  letter  is  given 
which  Avas  written  by  John  Rut,  master  of  an  English  ship, 
from  the  harbor  of  St.  John's,  to  King  Henry  VHI.  It  bears 
the  date  of  August  3,  1527.  Among  other  things  the  writer 
informed  His  Majesty  that  he  found  in  the  harbor  of  St. 
John's  eleven  ships  from  Normandy,  one  from  Breton,  and  two 
from  Portugal,  all  engaged  in  fishing.  It  was  not  long,  how- 
ever, before  the  English  fishermen  discovered  the  value  of 
those  fisheries,  for,  in  1540,  vessels  from  London,  Bristol, 
Bideford,  and  Barnstaple  were  engaged  in  fishing  on  the  Banks 
of  Newfoundland.     In  proof  of  this,  Ilakluyt  gives  an  extract 

'  In  the  name  "  Port-uux-Basqucs,"  a  fine  harbor  near  Cape  Ray,  these  Basque  fisher- 
men have  left  a  relic  of  themselves  in  NewfoundlanJ. 


!  i 


i:i 


220 


NE  WFO  UNDLA  XD. 


from  an  Act  passed  iii  the  reign  of  Edward  VI.  "against  the 
exaction  of  money,  or  any  other  thing,  by  any  otHcor,  for 
license  to  traffic  in  Irehind  or  Xewfonndhmd,"  In  l')78,  some 
new  light  is  thrown  on  the  conditic^n  of  the  fisheries,  as  Ilakluyt 
gives  a  letter  written  to  him  by  M.  Antonie  Parkliurst,  gentle- 
man, containing  a  report  on  Newfoundland,  in  which  the  writer 
says  that  Kngland  had  then  fifty  shijjs  engaged  in  the  fishery, 
but  that  Franco  and  Spain  had  each  a  hundred  and  fifty,  and 
Portugal  fifty  vessels.  When  Sir  IIum[)hrey  Gilbert  took 
possession  of  the  island,  in  1583,  he  found  thirty-six  ships  in 
the  harl>or  of  St.  John's  engaged  in  fishing,  of  which  sixteen 
■were  English.  In  IGIO  the  Comi)any  of  Planters  of  Newfound- 
land, comi)osed  of  the  Earl  of  Northampton,  Lord  Bacon,  and 
many  others,  made  an  unsuccessful  attempt  at  a  settlement  in 
the  island.  Even  at  that  early  period,  as  we  have  already 
seen,  Lord  Bacon,  from  his  knowledge  of  the  value  of  its 
fislujries,  declared  that  "  it  contained  richer  treasures  than  the 
mines  of  Mexico  and  Peru." 

English  merchants  and  fishermen,  chiefly  from  the  west  of 
England,  had  by  this  time  established  stations  all  along  the 
eastern  coast ;  but  the  fishery  was  migratory,  the  fishermen 
returning  to  England  at  the  close  of  each  season.  In  101.") 
Captain  \Vhill)ourne  was  sent  out  by  the  Admiralty  to  establish 
order  along  the  coast,  and  he  found  one  hundred  and  seventy 
English  vessels  engaged  in  fishing.  The  numl)ers  rapidly 
increased,  for  in  1()2()  Devonshin;  alone  sent  one  hundred  and 
fifty  vessels  to  the  fishery,  and  England  had  begun  to  monoi)- 
olize  the  fish  trade  of  Spain  and  Italy.  At  the  same  date  three 
hundred  and  fifty  families  had,  in  spite  of  every  discouragement, 
settled  in  the  various  harbors  of  the  island.  The  Frencii,  too, 
had  greatly  extended  their  fishing  operations,  and  rivalled  the 
English  in  their  successful  pursuit  of  the  cod.  So  eager  were 
they  to  share  in  this  lucrative  industry,  that,  in  1635,  the  French 
agreed  to  pay  a  duty  of  five  per  cent,  on  the  produce  for 
permission  to  dry  fish  in  Newfoundland;  and,  in  KJiiO,  tliey 
founded  a  colony  in  Plaisance  or  Placentia  Bay.  The  impor- 
tance of  the  fishery  was  further  evidenced  in  1663,  when,  in 
order  to  encourage  it,  an  Act  Avas  passed  exempting  it  from 


THE  CODFISH  LVD  VS TRIES. 


221 


tax  or  toll.  Then  followed  the  long  and  niclaiiclioly  stniimlo 
of  ninety  years,  already  described  in  the  historical  part  of  this 
vohnne,  between  the  merchant  adv(,'nturers,  who  obtained 
charters  from  successive  British  governments,  and  the  resident 
p()l)nlation,  which,  notwithstanding  stern  })rohibitory  laws, 
continued  to  increase.  During  the  whole  period  society  was 
in  a  wretched  state,  owing  to  the  oppressive  laws  prohibiting 
settlement.  Matters  came  to  a  crisis  in  1(>7(),  when,  through 
the  intluencc  of  Sir  Joshua  Child,  of  London,  and  one  of 
the  )n'inci[)al  menhants  connected  with  the  tisheries  in 
England, — a  man  who  had  early  distinguished  himself  as  a 
■writer  of  no  mean  imi)ort,  —  a  decree  was  issued,  bearing  the 
signature  of  Charles  II.,  for  rooting  out  the  entire  settlement 
in  Xewfoundland  ;  and  the  execution  of  this  barbarous  edict  was 
intrusted  to  Sir  John  Berry,  who  was  connnissioned  to  proceed 
to  Newfoundland  and  burn  down  every  dwelling  found  standing 
upon  the  island  and  drive  the  inhabitants  out.  Through  rej)re- 
sentations  made  to  the  king  by  John  Downing,  and  the  hesitancy 
on  the  part  of  Sir  John  Berry  to  execute  the  connnand.  His 
Majesty  allowed  the  houses  to  stand ;  but  still  the  most  severe 
measures  continued  to  be  enacted  to  prevent  permanent  settle- 
ment  in  the  island. 

Both  pjugland  and  France  were  now  fully  aware  of  the  vast 
importance  of  the  island  and  its  fisheries,  and  each  struggled 
hard  to  retain  a  hold  upon  both,  more  especially  as  it  was  felt 
to  be  the  key  to  open  or  close  access  to  Canada.  The  treaty  of 
Ryswick,  in  1G98,  restored  all  the  possessions  of  each  i)owerin 
the  island,  but  that  of  Utrecht,  in  1713,  transferred  the  sover- 
eignty of  Newfoundland  and  the  adjacent  islands  to  (Jrcat 
Britain.  The  'rench,  however,  obtained  l)y  the  same  treaty 
certain  fishing  [^,  ivileges,  to  which  they  have  tenaciously  clung 
ever  since,  and  which  have  prove<l  the  source  of  constant  dis- 
putes, and  greatly  retarded  the  prosjjcrity  of  the  colony. 

The  ra})idly-increasing  value  and  importance  of  this  fishery 
may  I)e  estimated  i'rom  the  fact  that  even  so  early  as  1(51)8  ;..) 
less  than  2(35,198  (luuitals  of  dried  codfish  were  sent  to  market 
from  the  island,  nearly  half  of  which  (]uantity  was  caught  b_y  ihv, 
resident  population.     The  number  of  ships  then  employed  in 


9i 


ij 


t  < 


9  ( 


i>\' 
« 


222 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


II     ; 
11    I 


■'i?||iiii:j;-:s 


fi.shin*^  or  carrying  fish  was  two  hundrod  and  fifty-two ;  and  the 
numl)er  of  bouts  three  hundred  and  ninety-seven.  The  French 
were  still  more  active  in  the  fisheries,  as  in  1721  they  had  four 
hundred  ships  emplo^'ed  ;  and  rivalled  the  English  in  supplying 
the  Mediterranean  and  Spanish  markets.  They  sustained  the  in- 
dustry by  a  system  of  high  bounties.  Both  nations  regarded 
the  Newfoundland  fisheries  as  highly  important  in  a  national 
point  of  view,  as  they  proved  to  be  the  best  training  school  for 
a  liardy,  courageous  race  of  seamen,  and  thus  to  l)oth  nations 
they  were  nurseries  for  sui)plying  their  navies  with  sailors. 
In  the  case  of  England  there  can  be  no  question  that  these  New- 
foundland fisheries  were  the  first  nurseries  for  that  fearless  race 
of  ccamen  who  won  lier  early  maritime  supremacy  and  made 
her  the  world's  great  trader.  On  this  point  Mr.  McGregor,  in 
his  valuable  work  on  "British  America,"  says  :  "Newfoundland, 
» 'though  occupying  no  distinguished  place  in  the  history  of  the 
New  World,  has  notwithstanding,  at  least  for  two  centuries  and 
a  half  after  its  discovery  by  Cabot  in  1497,  been  of  more  mighty 
importance  to  Great  Britain  than  any  other  colony ;  and  it  is 
doubtful  if  the  British  Empire  could  have  risen  to  its  great  and 
superior  rank  among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  if  any  other  power 
had  held  the  })osscssion  of  Newfoundland  ;  its  fisheries  having 
ever  since  its  coumiencement  furnished  our  navy  Avith  a  great 
l)roportion  of  its  hardy  and  brave  sailors." 

Whatever  may  be  thought  of  the  national  policy  pursued  in 
granting  to  the  French,  and  aft'H'wards  to  the  Americans,  such 
cr'tensive  privileges  in  conn<;cti()n  Avith  the  Newfoundland  fish- 
cries,  it  is  evident  that  these  concessions  placed  the  colonists  at 
a  great  disadvantage.  Both  French  and  Americans  sustained 
their  fisheries  by  large  bounties,  Avhile  Newfoundland  fishermen 
had  to  comi)ete  Avith  them,  in  their  own  waters,  without  any  such 
assistance.  The  concessions  to  the  French  had  the  practical 
result  of  closing  one  half  tlie  island  against  settlement  and  tiiC 
cultivation  of  the  soil,  and  thus  greatly  retarded  the  growth  of 
the  population,  it  is  not  wonderful,  therefore,  lo  find  that  the 
Bank  fishing,  in  which  fornu'rly  many  hundred  fishing-vessels 
from  the  shores  of  Newfoundland  took  u  part,  has  long  been 
abandoned  to  the  French  and  Americans.     In  1815  there  wero 


THE  CODFISH  IXDUSTRTES. 


223 


four  huiKlred  British  vessels  engaged  in  the  Bank  fishery ;  in 
184/3  it  became  praetlcally  extinct.  An  attempt  has  been  made 
of  late,  with  encouraging  results,  to  restore  this  tishery  ;  but 
only  time  will  tell  the  issue  of  the  effort.  The  Newfoundland 
fisheries  have  long  been  carried  on  only  along  the  shores  of  the 
island,  and  on  the  coasts  of  Labrador.  With  such  energy  and 
success  have  these  indus^^vies  been  pursued  under  all  disadvan- 
tages, arising  from  French  and  American  ))Ounties,  that  at  pres- 
ent their  annual  value,  all  fishery  products  included,  may  be 
estimated  at  from  six  to  eight  million  of  dollars  ;  and  they  con- 
stitute the  main  source  from  which  a  population  of  1  HO, 000 
derive  their  sup})ort.  Thev  do  not,  however,  exi)and  with  the 
increasing  population  ;  and  iicnce,  to  provide  for  the  future,  the 
long  dormant  resources  of  the  island  are  at  length  about  to  bo 
turned  to  account. 

Having  thus  sketched  the  history  of  the  Newfoundland  iish- 
eries,  we  subjoin  the  following  statistics  of  the  cod-lishery,  in 
order  to  show  its  growth  from  the  earliest  periods  and  its  con- 
dition at  the  [)resent  time. 

The  earliest  record  is  for  1G9G,  and  is  us  follows  :  — 


Residents  .......  203 

Fishermen 2,028 

Total  population         .          .         .         .         .  2,321 
Number  of  boats         .         .         .         .         .  431 
Number  of  quintals  of  cod  caught  in  the  har- 
bors occupied  by  tin*-  British    .         .         .  220,700 


J 


The  following  is  iui  abstract  of  the  trade  and  population  two 
years  later,  in  1()D8  :  — 


Number  of  planters     .....  284 

Number  of  then*  children     ....  M)'2 

Number  of  iheir  servants    ....  1,8',)4 

Niunber  of  boats  owned  by  them          .         .  3!)7 

(Quintals  of  fish  made  by  them     .          .         .  101,ir)2 

i\uml)cr  of  slii^js  iishing  and  carrying  fish     .  2')2 

Their  toimago    ......  21,318 


t;.'    I; 


kt 


224 


XEWFOUXDLAND. 


It:   J 


V  ■    I 


Xuiulx.'r  of  sciiniGU  ('ini)loyc(l       .          .  .  4,244 

Qiiintiil.s  offish  caught  by  ships    .          .  .  114,770 

(^uinhils  of  (ish  purchased  by  merchants  .  157,848 

(Quintals  of  lish  carried  to  marlvct          .  .  2()5,1I)8 

The  returns  for  tlie  following  sixteen  3'ear.s  seem  to  indicate 
a  decline  in  the  cod-tishery,  the  average  exjjortation  for  the 
iirst  three  years  of  that  period  1)eing  154,370  (piintals,  and  for 
the  last  three  102,3<;3  ((uintals. 

A  remarkable  increase  in  the  catch  offish  took  place  in  17ii;;, 
and  in  the  following  years  the  progress  was  fully  sustained,  as 
the  foUowin";  statistics  sliow  :  — 


Year. 

17G3 
17G4 
17(35 
1785 

1787 

1788 

1700 

17;  1 2 

17!»5 

1800 

1805 

1810 

\S\.\ 

ISl  1 

1815 

1820 

1825 


Qulnt:ilH  exported. 

Ye.ir. 

34S,2')4 

1835 

470,1  l.s 

1845 

4!);^(;5i 

1850 

5i)l,27(; 

1854 

7;52,015 

1800 

'.lis,!)70 

180;'. 

(;4I),0!)2 

18V0 

552,200 

1872 

500,000 

1873 

3.s2,O0O 

1874 

025,511) 

1875 

884,474 

187(; 

8  ill, 3  00 

I.S77 

!)47,7(;2 

1.S78 

1,080,200 

1871) 

1)01,159 

1880 

!I73,4(;4 

18S1 

Qiiint;ils  export eil. 

712,5s,S 

i,ooo,2;;3 

1,080.1.S2 

771.117 

1,37!). NO  I 

1.0 12. 321 

i,ii;i,5;;5 

1,221,150 

i,;;oit,2o5 

1,001), 72  I 

i,i30,2;;5 

l,30l,OiiS 
l,O2!i.O0  1 

1,07!. oh; 

1,;').S7.770 
1,41'.). 505 

i,5s3,i;;2 


In  connection  Milli  the  foregoing  returns  tbe  population  of 
the  island  at  various  periods  nmst  be  taken  into  account.  Tlie 
statistics  given  altoNc  include  the  (juantitles  of  cod  taken  by 
the  wliole  nundier  ot  fishermen,  both  those  who  vajue  in  ti-li- 
ing  vesst4s  and  ictnrnetl  to  lOngland  at  tlie  end  of  tin;  sea>()ii. 
and  thost"  resident  in  the  country.     As  the  poi)ulati  )n  increax'd 


THE  CODFISH  INDUSTRIES. 


225 


the  Hshiug  industries  fell  more  and  more  into  the  liands  of 
those  who  resided  in  the  Island,  and  at  lenutii  {!ie  niiniatory 
fishery  ceased  entirely.  In  17().'5  the  resident  population  was 
13,112;  in  171)2,  1"),2.J3  ;  in  17Si),  1!),1()(;;  in  1X2.'),  r);),71<J  ; 
in  \>i:\2,  tJU,008;  in  l.S,"):),  122, OaS;  in  hS()!),  140, ."jnO;  in  1.S7-4, 
1G1,410;  ill  1882,  estimated  i)oi)uhiti(m  lSo,00(). 

Naturally  we  should  expect  to  find  as  the  i)o[)ulation  j^rew, 
and  more  persons  were  emi)loye(l  in  the  fisheries,  the  quantities 
of  fish  cauiiht  would  increase  in  i)roportion.  Uut  the  fore_:j^oin^ 
statistics  prove  that  this  has  not  been  tlu;  case.  In  l.S,"),"),  with 
a  p()pulati(Mi  of  122,038,  the  ([uantity  of  cod  taken  am(>-.inted 
to  1,107,388;  in  1880,  with  a  population  of  nerrly  183,000,  the 
quantity  of  cod  taken  was  l,tll),.>0'>.  For  thirty  years  the 
catch  has  occasionally  fallen  l)elow  !i  million  (piintals,  hut   only 

a    million 


during  two  or  three  years  has  it  •••reatly  exceeded 
•juintals.  \\\  1874,  an  excej)tional  year,  it  rose  1o  1,001), 724 
quintals,  which  were  the  hi<rhest  fiirurc-'  ever  reached  ;  and  in 
ISSO  the  catch  amounted  to  1, 411), 50.'  (piintals.  The  <irand 
staple  industry  must  he  repmh'd  as  stationary,  thouirh  ui-eatly 
increased  numhers  are  enirai^ed  in  it,  and  improvc(l  a|)pliances 
have  been  of  late  introduced  for  tlu;  capture  of  the  cod. 


'I'h 


le  (juestion  arises 


—  III 


ive    the    limits    of    the    co( 


U\>\ 


wx 


y 


iiureasmg  mil 


heeii  reached?  Are  there;  fewer  cod  in  the  wati'r  tlia.i  formerly, 
owing  to  the  heavy  drafts  mad(!  on  the  })rolifu  race  by  the 
nbers  of  fishermen?  There  can  be  no  doubt  that 
iheri;  are  localities  which  show  signs  of  exhaustion,  (  ith(>r  from 
over-llshing  or  other  causes,  such  as  tlu;  destriu-tion  of  the  food 
of  till!  cod.  Some  of  the  bays,  notably  Conceplion  Hay,  where 
cod  were  onc(!  al»undant,  are  now  comparatively  iniprodu(tiv(» 
li^liing-grounds.  lUit  this  exhaustion  is  confined  to  .'i  limited 
area  ;  and  the  iUon;  extensive;  fishing-banks  along  shore,  and 
the  (ireat  JJanks  far  out  at  sea,  show  no  ^-igns  of  depletion. 
Tlic  (Jreat  IJaidis,  six  hundred  miles  in  length  and  two  hundred 
in  bceadth,  the  home  and  breeding-grounds  of  the  cod,  have 
been  fished  for  three  centuries  and  a  half  without  >howiiig  any 
sym[)toms  ,)f  a  falling  olf  in  the  (luantities  takea.  TIk'  enor- 
mous fecundity  of  the  cod  forbids  tlm  idea  of  exhaustion;  and 
the  (^uantiticfi)  takeu  by  muii  uro  infinitesimal  when  cumparod 


li 


1' 


;l 


220 


NE  WFO  UNDLA  AT). 


''W    i 


'    ' 


I 


with  the  dcstnu'tion  caused  ])y  their  natural  enemies.  The 
Fishery  Commissioners  of  Enghmd,  after  an  exhaustive  in(i(iiry 
into  the  matter,  deehire  that  there  is  no  falling  ott' in  the  supply 
of  Hsli  around  the  shores  of  Great  Britain,  notwithstandinu;'  the 
inimense  and  increasing  drafts  on  them ;  and  in  conse(|uence, 
hav(!  recomm(!nd(!d  the  removal  of  all  restrictions  on  \ho  fish- 
ing industries.  It  is  difficult  to  see  why  the  Xowfoundland 
fisheries  should  ever  fall  into  a  state  of  depletion,  when  other 
British  waters,  with  far  heavier  drafts,  are  as  prolific  as  ever. 

The  stationary  condition  of  the  Newfoundland  cod-fishery  is 
not  caused  by  ;i  falling  oil' in  the  quantity  of  cod  in  the  waters, 
but  is  largely  owing  to  the  imperfect  and  anii(|uated  methods 
of  taking  them  which  still  obtain.  Science  has  not  been  called 
in  to  aid  tliis  important  industry  as  has  been  the  case  in  Nor- 
way. Newfoundland  has  no  fishery  bureau.  Improvements 
are  very  slowly  introduced.  The  hook-and-linc  is  depended 
on  far  too  extensively.  Fishing  from  small  punts  with  the 
baited  hook,  close  in-shore,  is  the  method  followed  hy  l;ii'g(> 
numbers  of  the  poorer  class  of  fishermen.  The  mei'chants 
show  no  spirit  or  energy  in  piocuring  information  regarding 
what  other  countries  are  doing,  or  by  inducing  fishermen  to  use 
improved  fishing-gear.  The  preservation  of  bait  by  ice  is  only 
attempted  on  a  small  scale,  the  aid  of  the  telegraph  and  the 
thermometer  has  not  yet  been  ol)taiaed.  Above  all,  the  vicious 
"  ^"lM'b'''^i?  system,"  by  which  advances  in  food  and  clothing, 
at  high  prices,  are  m;:de  t  )  the  fishermen  at  the  commencement 
of  each  season,  is  destructive  to  the  industrious  efforts  of  tlio-^c 
who  are  thus  n  ^ver  out  of  debt,  and  often  on  the  brink  of  Imiu- 
ine  ;  and  tends  to  undermine  their  self-respect  and  honoty. 
Were  there  a  well-organized  fishery  bureau,  under  the  guidance 
of  a  skilletl  scientist  and  [mctical  nje..,  and  were  the  imin-ove- 
ments  of  the  other  fishing  countries  introduced  h(>re,  and  the 
supplying  system  euvlaile'.  or  iibolished,  the  cod-fisjiery,  us 
w-  U  M>t  the  other  tisheries,  by  the  a[)plication  of  skill  and  caj)!- 
'  (I.  mi;_;Iit  be  indeliuitely  increased.  Under  the  present  sys- 
tem it  is  not  likely  to  make  further  advances.  There  have 
been  ><)vv  iiiiprovciner.ts,  but  much  j-emains  to  be  done.  New- 
ion,  idlauder.s  have   every  nai.ural    advantage    in    inexhauslihle 


THE  CODFISH  INDUSTRIES. 


221 


supplies  of  cod  either  clo;  e  to  their  doors  or  on  the  Banks,  a 
day's  sail  from  their  shores,  or  on  the  Labrador  coast,  at  no 
great  distance.  To  the  inhabitants  of  warm  countries  the  dried 
cod  furnishes  a  palatable  article  of  food,  and  many  of  them 
regard  it  as  indis})ensable.  Catholic  countries  alone  sj)end 
annually  about  half  a  million  sterling  in  the  purchase  of  cod 
taken  in  North  American  seas.  So  far  from  declining  in  value, 
the  price  of  Newfoundland  cod  has  advanced  from  tifty  to 
seventy-five  per  cent,  within  the  last  fifteen  years.  While 
there  is  a  difficulty  often  in  finding  a  market  for  English  manu- 
factured goods,  the  demand  for  codfish  never  fails  ;  and,  as 
railways  extend  in  Brazil,  in  Spain,  in  the  Z>Iediierranean  coun- 
tries, so  as  to  permit  its  conveyance  to  the  interiors,  the 
demand  increases.  Thus  it  is  evident  that  a  cod-producing 
country  possesses  in  this  industry  a  source  of  prosperity  which 
can  never  fail,  and  which  the  fluctuations  of  trade,  or  the 
caprices  of  fashion,  cannot  nmch  affect.  The  extraordinary 
fecundity  of  the  cod  secures  the  fisheries  against  exhaustion. 

The  cod-fishery  of  Newfoundland  is  the  grand  stai>le  mdus- 
try,  all  the  other  fisheries — of  the  seal,  salmon,  herring,  etc., 
—  amounting  in  the  aggregate  in  v  ilue  to  but  one-fifth  of  the 
whole.  Four-fii'ths  of  the  entire  returns  of  the  fisheries  arise 
from  the  cod-fishery. 

In  proof  of  this  we  may  take  the  latest  complete  returns, 
those  for  the  year  ending  July  31,  1881.  The  prodi-  s  of 
the  cod-fishery  exported  that  year,  inclusive  of  La'  ador, 
were  as  follows  :  — 


1,583,123  quintals  dried  cod,  at  $3.20 
l,r)16       *'        green  <« 

4,127  tuns  cod  oil,  at  IIHO 

144    "     rcffinod  cod-livor  oil,  at  $180 
1,040  l)!irrels  cod-roes,  at  $3 

43  packages  of  tongues  and  sound,  at  $1 
300  barrels  cods'-heads,  at  $1    . 

Total  value  of  exports  of  the  cod  fishery    . 

Amount  cairied  forward     .... 


$r.  •'•;o,020 

1,516 

445,710 

25.022 

3.120 

43 

300 

$5,542,<j35 


f:l 


i:   i 


111 


$5,<>42,035 


km 


!!i  il 


I 


228 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


AmoHiit  hrowjld  forvdvil     ....       $5,542,035 
To  this    must  be    added  tlie   local    consuniptioiA 
of  codfish,  at  the  rate  of  \\  quintals  per  head, 
or  270,00  quintals  a  $3.20"     ....  8G4,000 

Total  value  of  cod-fishery  in  1881      .         .  .      $0,400, 035 


The  value  of  the  other  fisheries  —  of  the  seal,  salmon, 
herrinjl,  etc.  — for  1881  was  $1,429,871.  The  value  of  the 
whole  exports  of  the  island,  copper  ore  included,  for  the  3'ear 
1881  was  $7,048,574. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  the  number  of  persons  employed 
in  taking  this  quantity  of  codfish.  The  latest  census,  that  of 
1874,  showed  that  out  of  a  population  of  101,441)  there  were 
20,377  able-bodied  fishermen  in  the  colony,  45,845  persons 
engtiged  in  catching  and  curing  fish,  1,197  vessels  of  a  tonnage 
of  01,551,  8,902  fishing-rooms  in  actual  use,  and  18,011 
boats  employed  in  the  shore-fisiiery.  At  the  present  date  there 
arc  about  53,000  persons  engaged  in  catching  and  curing  fish 
out  of  a  population  of  180,000.  The  same  men  are  emi)loyed 
in  the  seal  and  herring  fisheries  as  in  the  cod-fishing,  the  se:d 
fishery  o<.'curring  in  si)ring  before  the  cod  make  their  appeiu- 
ance,  and  the  herring  in  the  autimin  and  winter. 

We  siiall  now  endeavor  to  estimate  the  extent  and  value  of 
the  French  and  American  Newfoundland  cod-fisheries.  For 
some  three  hundred  and  fifty  years  France  has  carried  on  a 
cod-fishery  on  the  Banks  of  Xewtoundland,  and  also  alonir  the 
western  and  northern  chores  of  the  island.  Each  year  a  fieet 
arrives  at  8t.  Pierre,  in  April,  from  Franco.  After  purchasing 
a  supply  of  bait,  for  which  they  arc  dependent  on  the  Newfound- 
land fishermen,  who  realize  al)out  $100,000  per  annum  by  its 
sale,  they  ])ro«"eed  to  the  Hanks  and  ll.o  stations  along  shore. 
Each  vessel  makes  three  trips  front  St.  Pierre  to  the  Banks. 
The  jn'oduce  of  the  first  two  V()va<i;os  is  taken  ashore  at  St.  Pierr(^ 
and  dried,  and  that  of  the  third  is  taken  direct  to  France  in  a 
green  stiite.  The  fishery  is  sustained  by  a  bounty  of  eight 
shillings  and  four  pence  sterlii'g  per  (|uintal.  For  many  ye.'U^ 
this  Uank  fishery  bv  the  French  has  been  in  a  state  of  decline. 


THE  CODFISH  IXDUS TRIES. 


229 


and  were  it  not  for  the  l)ountics  would  have  long  since 
ceased.  In  1839,  according  to  Le  Cojislidifiomicl,  a.s  (juoled 
})}'  .Sir  Iiichard  Bonnycastle  in  his  work  on  Xewlbundland,  llic 
French  cod-iisliery,  in  Newfoundland  waters;  employed  (KM) 
ships,  D.OdO  men,  and  50,000  tons  of  shii)i)ing,  furnishing 
France  with  12,000  able  seamen  —  being  one-fourth  of  the 
whole  number  recjuired  for  her  navy  at  that  time.  In  1848, 
according  to  the  r('i)t)rt  of  ('ai)tain  Loch,  of  II. M.S.  "Alarm,"' 
"there  were  .'JlJO  French  Banking  vessels,  of  from  I-'jO  to  .'3<)0 
tons  each,  carrying  from  1(),000  to  17,000  Frent'hmen ;  which 
vessels  caught  annually  l,2il(),()()0  quintals  ot  tish  on  the 
Banks."  In  18.32  I'erley's  rej)ort  was,  in  substanc(,',  the  same. 
In  18(55  James  S.  Ilayward,  Es(p,  of  II. M.  Customs,  New- 
foundland, visited  St.  Fierre,  and  obtained  access  to  the  French 
records.  Ilis  rei)ort,  which  is  (juite  reliable,  shows  a  wvy 
striking  decline  ii!  the  French  lishery.  He  found  that,  in 
18(J4,  there  were  emi»loyed  in  tlu;  fishe  hv  ninety-eight 
square-rigged  vessels,  carrying  2,742  men,  and  579  small 
craft  and  boats,  carrying  4,541  men;  making  a  total  of  7,22.'} 
eniiaujed  in  the  tisheries.  The  catch  that  year  was  :  Dried 
codlish,  106,997  quintals;  green  cod,  40,940  quintals.  Al- 
lowing twenty  quintals  per  man  for  the  last  U'\\),  tlu;  produce 
being  taken  to  France  green,  we  ha\'e  54,840  quintals  ;  and 
the  Northern  tisheiy,  not  rei)orted  at  St.  Pierre,  would  proba« 
bly  yield  100,000  (juintals.  We  have  thus,  as  the  total  catch 
along  the  shores  and  on  the  Banks,  by  the  French,  in  1804, 
398,797  (piintals.  In  a  iavorabU;  year  it  is  possible  that  the 
c.itch  may  ajjpiDach  half  a  million  of  (juintals  —  a  striking 
decline  since  1848.  This  lishery  has  not  advanced  since  1^04, 
as  the  latest  returns  obtained,  those  for  1-^74,  show  that  there 
were  that  year,  847  vessels,  and  5,(t21  men  employed  in  the 
fishery.  In  this  return  are  included  the  schoonei's  fron  St. 
Pierre,  and  boats  not  decked,  employed  at  tlu^  local  fishery 
about  St.  Pierre.  In  1S(;8  the  codlish  export  from  St.  I'lerre 
was  217, ()45  quintals.  The  French  Newfoundland  fisheries 
may  be  estimated  at  present  as  averaging  from  400,000  to 
500, 000  (juintals  annually;  the  number  of  men  en)[)loyed 
being  5,000  to  (J,000. 


H' 


M 


i   i 


,1 


(      I , 


if: 


i  I 


^f 


:1    W 


'i  i  < '    ' !, 


t  !  ^ 


V\      1- 


1 1  ,5': 


230 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


The  following  return  shows  the  number  of  men  and  vessels 
employed  from  1867  to  1874  :  — 


Vessels. 

Men. 

Vessels. 

Men. 

1867  . 

.  804  . 

.  7,178 

1871  . 

.  665  . 

.  5,295 

1868  . 

.  774  . 

.  6,552 

1872  . 

.  865  . 

.  5.620 

1869  . 

.  806  . 

.  6,452 

1873  . 

.  899  . 

.  6,036 

1870  . 

.  833  . 

.  6,397 

1874  . 

.  847  . 

.  5,621 

Boats  and  schooners  are  included  in  the  a])ove  return. 

The  French  returns  give  the  value  of  their  Newfoundland 
tisherics  as  8,300,000  francs  in  1871,  and  10,500,000  francs  in 
1872.  In  the  "  Revue  des  Deux  jNIondes  "  for  November,  1874, 
a  writer  states  that  these  fisheries  bring  some  15  to  20  million 
francs  to  French  commerce,  and  employ  9,000  sailors.  This 
statement  is  not  borne  out  by  their  own  returns.  The  history 
of  the  French  Ncwfoumlland  nsheries  shows  a  steady  decline 
since  1850.  From  18  11  to  1850  the  averajre  tonnaae  cm- 
ployed  in  their  fisheries  amiually  was  18,000 ;  the  average 
number  of  men  11,500.  The  decline,  therefore,  amounts  at 
present  t>  one-half.  After  "fattd  Waterloo,*'  the  French,  in 
order  to  "estoro  their  naval  power  and  create  sailors,  gave 
immense  bounties  lO  those  who  enirajjed  in  the  Newfoundland 
fisheries,  amounting  to  about  $70  per  man.  Being  sustained 
by  such  bounties  the  Newfoundland  fishermen  could  not  com- 
pete on  the  Banks  with  the  French,  the  outfit  for  this  lishcry 
being  very  ex[)ensive.  The  result  was  that  the  British  Bank 
fishery  declined  rapidly,  so  that,  in  1845,  it  was  completely 
extinct.  Once  it  employed  400  vessels.  As  a  commercial 
speculation  the  French  Bank  fishery  is  not  successful,  and. 
were  it  not  for  the  bounties,  it  would  l)e  abandoned.  It  is  well 
known  that  the  French  fishermen  pui'sue  these  foreign  fishm'ies 
liirgel}'  for  the  bounties  they  enjoy,  the  fish  being,  in  many 
instances,  a  secondary  consideration. 

There  are  no  availa1)le  statistics,  as  far  as  we  are  aware,  to 
show  what  is  the  American  catch  of  codfish  on  the  Banks. 

Formerly  a  large  number  of  American  fishing-vessels  used 
to  frecjuont  the  Laltrador  coast,  l)ut  at  present  very  few  are 


THE  CODFISH  IXDCS TRIES. 


231 


seen  there,  mid  American  Hshcrmen  contine  their  etl'orls  mainly 
to  the  Banks  when  in  pnrsnit  of  eod.  Aeeordin;^  to  the  Annual 
Report  of  the  chief  of  the  Bureau  of  Statistics,  etc.,  the  amount 
of  dried  codfish  received  into  the  Customs'  Districts  of  tiie 
United  States  during;  1874  wt.s  850,732  quinttds,  vahied  at 
$P).<!!)4,4<S3  ;  and  in  1875  the  quantity  of  (h'ied  codfish  was 
75(5,543  quintals,  vahied  at  $3,0(j4,4'Jt!.  The  urcater  portion 
of  this  catch  was,  we  l)elieve,  taken  on  the  Banks.  Tlie 
American  cod-fishery  shows  a  marked  decline  between  the 
years  1>!50  and  1807.  In  the  former  year  the  tonnaire  of  the 
United  States  em})lo3'ed  in  the  cod-tisiiery  was  13(5,(554 ;  in 
18(57  it  was  3(>,70().  The  decline  has  been  most  rapid  since 
18(53.  Whether  this  iishery  has  rallied  since  18G7  we  have  no 
statistics  to  determine. 

The  following  tal)le  shows  the  comparative  value  of  the 
cold-water  sea-lislicries  of  the  United  State's,  the  Dominion  of 
Canada,  and  Xewfouiidiand.  The  returns  include  not  only 
cod,  but  all  fish,  such  as  mackerel  and  herring,  taken  in  the 
waters  around  the  coasts  :  — 


I       1, 


Year. 
1870 

1871 
1872 
1873 
1874 
1875 
187(5 


United  Statco. 

$5,313,0(57 
11,428,410 
0,52(5,047 
8,348,185 
0.522,553 
10,747,570 
0,756,083 


Dominion  of  Canada.        Niwfnnii'llanil. 


.$7,000,000 
8,000,000 
0,570,11(5 
10,754,088 
11,G81,8SG 
10.347,88(5 
11,010,451 


$7,2(;(».208 

M,os(;.osi 

0,054,528 
8,138.005 
8.511.710 

7,845.328 
7,0.S7,877 


From  this  tal)le  it  appears  that  the  combined  catch  of  the 
Dominion  of  Canada  and  Ni'wfoundland  is  nearly  doulde  in 
value  the  mean  animal  yield  of  the  sea-ti.->heries  of  the  Unitcid 
Stat(>s.  The  greater  part  of  the  latter  arc  carried  on  in  waters 
oir  liritish-American  coast-lines. 

Of  Kuropean  cod-})roducing  countries  by  far  the  most  im- 
portant is  Norway.  It  is  the  great  rival  of  Ni^vfoundlMnd  in 
the  cod  markets  of  the  world,  and  its  competition  is  very  keeji, 
especially  in  recent  years,  during  which  the  Norwegians  have 


w 


•:S      i- 


232 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


made  groat  advances,  !)>'  the  aid  of  science,  in  the  modes  of 
caplui-ini,''  and  curing;  cod.  The  follo\vin«r  tahle  exhibits  the 
comparative  condition  of  the  \or\ve<iian  and  Xewfoundland 
eod-tihherie.s  from  184(5  (o  1S(')'),  showing  the  average  annual 
catch  dnring  groups  of  four  years  :  — 


I 


I 


Years. 

lS4()-18r)0 
lH.')l-18-)5 

iH:>r;-i,s(io 

18(11-1805 


Xorwriy. 

Cod  exporti'd. 

QiiiiitulH. 

537,t:)0 

CO.'),  73  7 

(;g(;,()7(; 

751,382 


Ncufiiiimllanil. 

Cod  fxportcd. 

Quintulx. 

080, 33('. 

1»53,8."),S 
1.220,i:>4 
1,050,551 


That  the  cod-tishery  of  Xorway,  though  Ihictuating  (hiiiii^^ 
certain  periods,  is  increasing  in  value,  is  evident  from  the 
report  of  ^I.  Friele,  ])resented  at  the  Paris  Exposition  of 
1878.      In  that  rei)ort  the  returns  are  given  as  follows:  — 


Yoars. 

1873 
1874 
1875 
1870 
1877 


Cod. 

49,500,000 
47,500,000 
53,000,000 

38,000,000 


Valuo. 

$4,240,000 
4,000,000 
4,300,000 
3,000.000 


70,000,000  (about)  0,030,000 


IKiii 


The  yield  in  Xorway  in  1877  of  70,000,000  codfish  must 
l)e  regarded  us  exceptional,  being  by  far  the  most  abundant 
on  record.  If  we  allow  tifty  codfish  to  a  quintal,  then  the 
Xorway  catch  in  1877  was  1,400,000  quintals.  The  last  two 
years  have  witnessed  a  failure  in  these  fisheries,  which  has  had 
the  efi'ect  of  enhancing  the  price  of  Xewfoundland  codfish,  the 
catch  in  Xewfoundland  hv'wvj:  at  the  same  time  above  an  average. 
In  1N77  there  were  employed  in  the  Lollbden  cod-fisheiy  — 
Avhich  is  the  principal  one  —  21,287  men  and  4,507  boats. 
The  average  gain  of  each  fisherman  was  $120  during  the  season, 
which  lasts  from  the  beginning  of  February  to  the  middle  of 
April,  being  a  winli'r  fishery.  Finmark  is  the  sunnner  cod 
fisherv  of  Xorwav. 


•lit 


THE  CODFISH  INDUSTRIES. 


2;5;5 


Altliough  the  Xewibundliind  cod-tislicry  does  not  show  miy 
marked  advanec  in  the  (luantities  taken  (hwin^  the  last  thiity 
years,  the  inerease  in  the  market  vahie  of  dried  codlish  has 
been  enhaneed  to  the  extent  of  from  fifty  to  .seventy-h\ c  |)er 
eent.,  so  that  there  has  heen  a  steady  progress  in  the  value  of 
tlic  produets.  The  foHowing  table  shows  the  progress  of  the 
value  of  the  whole  j>roduets  of  the  Newfoundland  ti>heries 
during  eaeh  group  of  iive  years,  from  l'Sr)2  to  l.S7(),  inelusive, 
the  main  inerease  arising  from  the  ^od  fishery  :  — 


Grdiij)  of  Five  Years. 

l.s:)2-l.S")G 
lsr,7_l,sG2 

18(57-1871 
1872-18 7G 


Avernifr  Valur  (if 

f^xport.-^  f]-iini 

Ncwfiiuiiillaml. 

$5,  IOC),  129 
(5,];'»2,;i!l2 

G,()8(),i4r) 

7,011,407 
7,847, ()()1 


The  following  arc  the  values  of  the  exports  of  Xewfoundhnid 
for  the  years  named  :  — 


Yi'ars. 

1877  . 

1 8  <  8  .  >  .  .  . 

187i'  .  .  .  .  . 

1880 

1881 

Average  for  the  last  five  years 


$7,025,441 
6,51)1,807 
7, 1(58, 1)24 
7,i;51,0!ir) 
7,(;48,r)74 
7,233, 1(18 


Tlic  }ear  ending  Jnly  31,  18s2,  proved  to  be  one  of  unusual 
prosi)erit}'.  Owi)ig  to  the  failure  of  the  Norwegian  eod-ti>heries 
the  [)rice  of  dry  eod  was  eon-iderably  enhanced  in  the  foreign 
markets.  The  (juantity  exitorted  was  1,4(53,431)  fjuintals,  liio 
l)rlee  paid  to  fishermen  being  four  dollars  per  quintal.  'Jhough 
the  seal  fishery  of  1882  proved  to  l)e  one  of  the  least  prnductive 
on  record,  owing  to  the  heavy  masses  of  ice  whieii  blockaded 
the  coast  and  arrested  the  movements  of  vessels,  yet  otluu-  things 
combined  to  swell  the  returns.     The  value  of  the  exports  of 


■)  •< 


;  Hi 


,11 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


/, 


1.0 


I.I 


-1^    12.5 

1^ 


12.0 


i.8 


!J5 

U       1.6 

«l 

6"     

» 

^^ 


^ 


% 


>^ 


'-^ 


'/ 


Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


33  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  873-4S03 


234 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


1   '»i 


111 


v\   I 


ilit' 


hW> 


1882  amounted  to  $8,228,291,  exceeding  those  of  1881  l>y 
$579,720,  and  fhose  of   1880  by  $1,097,196. 

From  the  foregoing  statements  it  is  evident  that  the  cod- 
fishery  of  NewfoundUmd  is  greater  than  that  of  any  other  cod- 
producing  country  in  the  world,  the  Norway  fishery  being  next 
in  value.  The  average  value  of  the  Newfoundland  products  of 
the  cod-fishery  may  now  be  reckoned  at  $5,500,000  per  annum  ; 
and  adding  to  this  the  value  of  the  local  consumption,  we  must 
place  the  entire  annual  value  at  $6,3(54,000. 

It  may  be  interesting  to  compare  the  principal  sea-fisheries 
of  the  world  in  regard  to  their  respective  value.  The  following 
table  may  be  regarded  as  presenting  a  fairly  correct  estimate 
of  the  annual  value  :  — 


\m 


British  European  sea-fisheries 
British  American  sea-fisheries 
United  States     ... 
Franco       .         .         .         .         . 
Norway     .         .         .         .         . 
Russia  (European  sea-fisheries) 
llussia  (Asiatic  fisheries)    . 
Netherlands       .         .         .         , 


Total  Value. 

$34,090,000 

20,193,596 

13,030,821 

12,166,666 

6,250,219 

2,425,156 

10,896,625 

1,635,725 


[  f  .  r 


NATURAL   HISTORY  OF  THE  COD. 


235 


CHAPTER  II. 


NATURAL    HISTORY    OF    THE    COD,    ITS    DISTRIBUTION,   MOVE- 
MENTS,  SPAWNING,   AND   MODE   OF    CURE. 

Cold-water  seas  and  the  Arctic  current  —  Nature's  laws  of  ooiiii)ensation  — 
Food  of  the  cod  —  The  Labrador  current  —  An  old  theory  exploded  —  A 
submarine  plateau  —  The  fishinir  season  —  Caplin  and  squids  —  Process 
of  curing  the  cod —  Operators  at  work —  Cod-liver  oil  — Fishing  tackle  and 
methods  of  taking  the  cod. 

Of  the  three  leading  kinds  of  commercial  food-fishes  —  the 
cod,  the  herring,  and  the  mackerel  —  the  cod  has  the  widest 
range.  On  the  east  coast  of  America,  it  is  found,  from  the 
Polar  regions  on  the  north  to  Cape  Ilatteras  on  the  south,  being 
most  abundant  on  the  coast  of  Labrador  and  Newfoundland, 
and  on  i\\v.  Great  Banks  lying  to  the  south  and  west.  On  the 
western  coast  of  America,  in  the  North  Pacific  Ocean,  its 
boundary  runs  from  Northern  China,  at  Chusan,  northward 
along  the  west  coast  of  Japan  and  the  Kurilo  Islands  to  the 
southern  extremity  of  Kamtschatka,  and  across  to  the  Aleutian 
Islands,  by  Kodiak,  Sitka,  and  the  islands  of  the  west  coast  of 
North  America  to  San  Francisco.  In  the  Old  World  the  cod 
has  an  extensive  geographical  range,  being  most  abimdant  in 
the  neighborhood  of  the  Loflbden  Islands,  Norway,  Finmark, 
Iceland,  the  Faroe  and  British  Islands.  Its  northernmost  limit 
is  in  general  seventy-five  degrees  north  latilude,  and  the  soulli- 
crnmost,  in  the  Atlantic,  thirty  degrees  north  latitude.  It  is 
thus  found  on  the  coasts  of  both  continents,  and  on  the  lino 
where  the  Arctic  and  North  Atlantic  Oceans  meet.  This  may 
be  called  the  domain  of  the  Gadldv,  which  naturalists  tell  us 
embrace  nine  genera  and  fody-one  species. 

Cold-water  seas  are  essential  to  the  life  of  the  connnercial 
food-lishes.  In  the  tropical  seas,  or  even  in  the  warm  waters  of 
the  Gulf  Stream,  they  could  not  exist,  any  more  than  the  Arctic 


I 


236 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


m. ! 


':i  -i 


\]\' 


!.,1  I 


1 , 

;  M 

' 

i 

1  . 

.  1 

hjiro  could  thrive  in  the  Torrid  Zone.  The  Arctic  current 
which  washes  the  coasts  of  Lal)rador,  Newfoundland,  Canada, 
and  part  of  the  United  States,  chilling  the  atmosphere,  l)earinn' 
on  its  bosom  huge  ice-argosies,  is  the  source  of  the  vast  fish 
wealth  which  has  been  drawn  on  for  ages,  and  which  promises 
to  continue  for  ages  to  come.  Wanting  this  cold  ''river  in  the 
ocean,"  the  cod,  seals,  herrings,  mackerel,  halibut,  hake,  etc. 
which  now  crowd  the  northern  seas,  would  be  entirely  al)S(Mit. 
The  great  fishing  interests  are  thus  as  dependent  on  the  Arctic 
current,  as  the  farming  interests  on  the  rain  and  sunshine  which 
ripen  the  crops.  Here  is  an  illustration  of  Nature's  great  law 
of  compensation.  While  the  bleak  shores  of  these  northern 
regions  are  almost  tenantless  wildernesses,  the  cncompassin"' 
seas  are  swarming  with  vast  varieties  of  marine  life. 

The  Arctic  current  rushes  down  from  the  Spitzbergen  seas, 
laden  with  ice-fields  and  icebergs,  sweeps  round  Cape  Farewell, 
the  southern  point  of  Greenland,  Hows  north  as  far  as  Ca|)c 
York,  and  being  here  dellected  westward,  it  mingles  with  the 
ice-laden  river  coming  from  the  Arctic  regions  through  Davis 
Strait.  It  now  fiows  south,  and,  receiving  a  fresh  accession  of 
streny-th  from  Hudson's  Strait,  it  rushes  along  Labrador  and 
the  Newfoundland  shores,  till  it  encounters  the  warm  waters  of 
the  (Julf  Stream  moving  eastward.  Here  it  is  divided  into  two 
parts,  one  wedging  itself  between  the  Gidf  Stream  and  the 
coast,  the  other  shooting  underneath  the  warm  waters  of  this 
second  river  of  the  ocean.  From  Labrador  southward  it  is 
usually  called  the  Labrador  current ;  and  the  area  which  it 
occu[)i(>s  on  the  coasts  of  North  America  is  the  great  feeding 
and  spawning  ground  of  Ihe  connnercial  deep-sea  fishes. 

It  is  not  altogether  owing  to  its  temperature  that  the  J^abrailor 
current  is  favorabU;  to  the  develoi)ment  of  the  connnercial  lishes, 
though  that  is  essential  to  their  growth.  This  cold  current 
brings  with  it  the  food  on  which  these  fishes  thrive,  and  the 
supply  is  one  that  can  never  fail.  So  far  from  being  nnt'a\(ir- 
able  to  the  jirodnetion  of  life,  the  Arctic  seas  and  the  great 
rivers  which  they  send  forth  are  swarming  with  minute  tonus 
of  life,  constituting,  in  the  words  of  Professor  Hind,  "in  many 
places  a  living  mass,  a  vast  ocean  of  living  slime;  and  the  all- 


NATURAL   UISTORY  OF  THE  COD. 


237 


porvuding  life  which  exists  there  alTorcls  the  true  sohition  of  the 
problem  which  has  so  often  presented  itself  to  those  engaged  in 
the  great  fisheries  —  where  the  food  conies  from  which  gives 
sustenance  to  the  countless  millions  of  tish  which  swarm  on  the 
coasts  of  Labrador  and  Newfoundland,  and  in  Dominion  and 
United  States  waters,  or  wherever  the  Arctic  current  exerts  an 
active  inlluenee."  In  the  Arctic  seas  the  waters  are  character- 
ized by  a  variety  of  colors,  and  it  is  found  that  if  a  fine  insect 
net  be  towed  after  a  ship  it  becomes  covered  with  a  film  of 
green  in  green  water,  and  with  a  film  of  brown  in  brown  water. 
These  films  are  of  organic  origin.  "It  is,"  says  Hind,  "a 
living  slime,  and  where  it  al)ounds  there  also  are  to  be  found 
swarms  of  minute  crustaceans,  which  feed  on  the  slime,  and  in 
their  turn  become  the  food  of  larger  animals."  Dr.  Brown  has 
shown  that  the  presence  of  this  slime  spread  over  a  hundred 
thousand  square  miles  provides  food  for  myriads  of  birds  that 
freciuent  the  Arctic  seas  in  summer,  and  also  furnishes  suste- 
nance to  the  larger  marine  animals,  up  to  the  giant  whale. 
This  "  slime  of  the  ocean  "  api)ears  to  be  most  abundant  in  the 
coldest  water,  and  especially  in  the  neighborhood  of  ice.  The 
ice-laden  current  from  Baffin's  Bay  and  the  Spitzbergen  seas 
carries  m3'riads  of  icebergs  which  ground  in  countless  numbers 
on  the  coast  of  Lal)rador,  and  "  render  possible  there  the 
existence  of  all  these  forms  of  marine  life,  from  the  diatom  to 
the  minute  crustacean,  from  the  miiuite  crustacean  to  tb.e  crab 
and  pniwn,  together  with  molluscous  animals  and  starfish  in 
vast  profusion,  which  contribute  to  the  support  of  the  great 
schools  of  cod  which  also  find  their  home  there."  Thus,  then, 
the  great  battalions  of  icebergs  carry  with  them  the  slime-food 
on  which  minute  crustaceans  live;  and  these  in  their  turn 
furnish  food  for  the  herring  which  swarm  on  the  (Jreat  Banks, 
where  this  food  is  abundant,  and  the  herring,  with  nmltil tides 
of  other  forms,  are  devoured  by  the  cod.  When  the  cod  is 
assimilated  by  man  this  great  circle  of  Xatun;  is  c'()mi)l(!te. 

There  is  a  vast  area  on  the  shores  of  North  America  occupied 
l)y  the  Lal)rador  current,  and  constituting  the  home  of  the  cod 
and  other  commercial  fishes.  By  far  the  greatest  area  of  this 
cold  water  subtends  the  coasts  of  the  British  American  prov- 


:l 


:l 


I 


'y 


I 


I 


! 


\ 


I 


II    i 


238 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


r  ''' 


if';'- 


ill 


iiii: 


inces,  within  the  hundred-fathom  line  of  soundings.  It  is  com- 
puted that  while  the  cold-water  area  subtending  the  coast  of  the 
United  States  is  about  45,000  square  miles,  that  subtending 
British  American  shores  is  200,000  square  miles.  The  following 
table,  given  by  Professor  Hind,  shows  the  comparative  extent 
of  coast-line  washed  by  the  cold  current :  — 


United  States,  north  of  Cape  Hatteras 
Newfoundland       .         •         .         . 
Labrador,  as  far  as  Nain 
New  Brunswick    .... 
Nova  Scotia  .... 

Quebec         ..... 


Miles. 

1,070 
2,000 
360 
545 
1,170 
1,1G4 


; « 


Thus  while  British  America  has  a  coast-line  of  5,239  miles  of 
fishing  ground,  the  United  States  has  but  1,070  miles.  Hence 
the  superior  value  of  British  North  American  fisheries. 

There  is  another  important  consideration.  The  homes  of 
the  deep-sea  commercial  fishes  are  in  the  vicinity  of  the  coasts 
washed  by  the  cold-water  seas,  and  these  are  the  great  store- 
houses of  the  commercial  fish  supplies,  and  the  real  and  only 
main-stay  of  the  deep-sea  fishery  industries  of  both  British 
America  and  the  United  States.  The  old  theory  regarding 
the  extended  migrations  of  the  cod  and  herring  to  the  Arctic 
or  other  distant  regions  and  back  is  now  entirely  exploded. 
These  fish  are  now  known  to  be  local  in  their  habits,  and 
to  be  confined  to  a  limited  area.  They  are  governed  in 
their  movements  by  the  presence  or  absence  of  food,  the 
spawning  instinct,  and  the  temperature  of  the  water.  Their 
general  movements  are  in  schools,  from  the  deep  to  the  shal- 
lower and  warmer  waters  of  the  coast,  for  spawning,  or  in 
search  of  food,  returning  by  the  same  route  in  a  direct  line  to 
their  habitat.  The  law  which  governs  fish  life  is  that  they  re- 
turn to  the  place  of  their  birth  for  reproductive  purposes. 
Her.ce  all  round  the  coasts  there  are  at  different  places  what 
may  bo  called  colonies  of  fish,  differing  from  each  other,  and 
each  having  a  range  of  movement  from  the  deep  to  the  shal- 
lowoi'  waters,  and  vice  versd.     To  the  spot  where  the  young  first 


^!i( 


NATURAL   niSTORY  OF  THE  COD. 


2P.9 


issued  from  the  ovum  they  return  when  mature  to  repeat  the 
story  of  their  birth.  Further,  in  passing  from  the  spawning 
grounds  to  the  deeper  waters  where  they  spend  the  winter,  the 
cod  and  other  fish  follow  a  definite  line  of  migration,  and  that 
generally  the  shortest  and  most  direct  route.  ]Most  of  the 
schools  around  the  NewfoundLnd  coast  are  believed  to  winter 
at  no  great  distance  from  the  shore.  Thus  the  cod  taken  along 
any  stretch  of  coast-line  is  really  indigenous  to  the  adjacent 
sea  area. 

The  eminent  naturalist.  Professor  Sars,  has  proved  that  the 
cod  drops  its  spawn  free  into  the  sea  at  a  considerable  distance 
from  the  bottom.  The  spawn  docs  not  sink,  l)ut  goes  through 
all  its  stages  of  development,  swimming  free  in  the  sea,  quite 
near  the  surface.  The  eggs  arc  transparent,  and  have  a  sijccific 
gravity  so  near  that  of  sea- water  that  they  float  near  the  surface, 
and  are  hatched  in  about  sixteen  da3's.  The  male  fish,  in 
spawning,  swims  deeper  than  the  female,  and  the  milt,  l)cing  of 
less  s[)ecific  gravity  than  the  sea-water,  floats  upon  the  surface 
as  soon  as  it  is  poured  out.  The  young  cod  in  its  first  year 
grows  to  be  about  a  foot  in  length.  When  six  months  old  it 
goes  off  from  its  birthplace  into  deeper  water.  It  is  not  repro- 
ductive till  its  fourth  year. 

The  remarkable  submarine  plains  at  some  distance  from  the 
shores  of  Newfoundland,  where  the  finest  codfish  are  taken, 
and  where  they  are  most  abundant,  are  not,  as  was  long 
believed,  masses  of  sand,  borne  thither  by  the  Gulf  Stream  and 
the  River  St.  Lawrence.  They  form  a  rocky  submarine  plateau, 
whose  eastern  and  southern  borders  descend  steeply  to  a  great 
depth.  The  Great  Bank  extends  over  fully  nine  degrees  of 
latitude  from  north  to  south  ;  from  west  to  east  it  covers  in 
some  places  five  degrees.  The  depth  of  water  varies  from  fifty 
to  three  hundred  and  sixty  feet.  Beyond  the  Grand  Bank  to 
the  eastward  lies  the  Outer  or  False  Bank,  upon  which  the  sea 
is  from  six  hundred  to  nine  hundred  feet  in  dei)th.  To  the  west 
there  are  several  smaller  banks.  At  the  west  end  of  the  Great 
Bank  soundings  have  shown  a  depth  of  nine  thousand  feet. 
The  depth  around  the  bank  is  from  ten  thousand  to  fifteen 
thousand  feet.     The  water  on  the  bank  is  not  warmer  than  that 


1 


i     { 


•    < 


i' 


240 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


surrounding  it  at  a  depth  of  three  hundred  to  .six  tliousand  leet, 
namely,  .'51I-2  to  42-8.  The  tishinir-grounds  do  not  extend  over 
the  whole  hank,  hut  have  an  extent  ofahout  two  hundred  niiles 
in  h'ngth  and  sixty-seven  miles  in  hreadth.  For  nearly  four 
hundred  years  this  "cod  meadow"  has  been  fished  by  large 
fleets  of  various  nations,  without  showing  any  decrease  in  ])ro- 
ductiveness. 

The  cod  taken  on  the  Banks  is  larger  and  finer  in  quality 
than  the  fish  taJvcn  along  the  shores  of  the  island  or  on  Labrador. 
An  average  of  thirty  Bank  cod,  when  dried,  makes  a  quintal. 
The  price  is  higher  than  that  of  shore-fish.  It  is  a  prevalent 
opinion  among  fishermen,  and  until  recently  was  also  held  by 
naturalists,  that  the  cod  taken  in  deep  water,  on  banks  and 
reefs,  at  a  considerable  distance  from  as  well  as  close  to  the 
land,  is  a  ditlcrent  species  from  the  cod  taken  in  coastal  waters. 
The  researches  of  Sars  into  the  natural  history  of  the  cod  have 
explod(!d  that  opinion,  and  proved  that  the  shore  and  Bank  cod 
are  really  the  same  species.  The  Bank  cod  is  merely  the 
mature  full-grown  cod  that  has  reached  its  fourth  year  or  ui)- 
wards,  its  habits  at  that  age  leading  it  to  prefer  the  Banks  to 
the  shore  as  feeding-grounds.  The  two-year-old  and  three- 
year-old  cod  remain  on  the  shore  all  the  year,  passing  to  and 
from  the  shallower  water.  When  four  years  old  their  rei)ro- 
ductive  instincts  arc  developed,  and  after  spawning  they  retire 
far  from  the  coast,  and  are  found  on  the  submarine  slopes  and 
valleys  of  the  Great  Banks.  On  the  Labiador  coast  and  on 
Finmark  great  numbers  of  small  cod  are  taken,  from  eighteen 
to  twenty-two  inches  in  length  ;  and  these  are  prol)ably  schools 
in  their  second  or  third  year,  which  in  a  season  or  two,  when 
mature,  will  change  their  mode  of  existence,  and  become  Bank 
fish. 

The  cod  begins  to  appear  on  the  coasts  of  Newfoundland 
each  year  about  Juno  1st,  being  drawn  there  mainly  by  the 
great  master  instinct  which  pervades  all  animated  existences. 
Local  variations  in  the  time  of  arrival,  amounting  to  days 
and  even  weeks,  occur ;  and  these  are  dependent  on  tem})era- 
lure,  which  determines  the  movement  towards  the  land  of  the 
various  forms  of  marine  life  on  which  the  cod  feeds.     On  the 


a'i- 


NATURAL    II I  STORY  OF   THE   COD. 


211 


.SMiiH!  c-iiiso  thu  tiiuo  of  sj)!i\vninn;  dcpcMids.  I'l-ofi-sxn-  Hind, 
I'roin  !i  series  of  ean.'ful  ol)servations  on  the  nioveiueiits  of  tli(^ 
cod,  1ms  deduced  Ihc  followini;  l.'iw  :  "  Over  an  area  exlentlinj:^ 
iiorllierly  from  Conception  Bay  for  seven  lunulred  miles,  ilio 
cod  ai)i)roacli  the  shore  about  one  weelc  later  for  cNcry  de,t:ree 
of  latitude  we  advance  to  the  north."  In  Notri^  Dame  Wixy  and 
Southern  Labrador  they  appear  aI)out  Junt;  20th,  ami  on  North- 
ern Labrador  from  tlu!  2()tli  to  the  2Sth  July.  h\  Auiiiist  and 
September  cod-tishing  is  go  in  i;' on  sinudtaneousl^  "throughout 
a  Icniith  of  coast-lint^  extending  from  latitude  47^  \W  to  latitude 
58^  oO%  or  more  than  seven  hundred  miles  in  one  continuous 
line.  Hence  it  ai)[)ear.s  that  the  migrations  of  the  schools  of 
this  lish  are  merely  from  deep-water  winter  feeding-grounds  to 
the  nearest  coast,  and  from  the  coast  lo  the  nearest  deep-water 
feeding-grounds  again.  The  coast  migrations  during  the  sum- 
mer months  ajjpear  to  be  of  e(jually  limited  extent,  and  schools 
of  cod  fre(juenting  any  particular  coast  may  Ix;  said  to  l)e  in- 
di<>enous  to  it.''  The  lishiuij;  season  on  tlu!  Newfoundland  coast 
lasts  about  one  hundred  and  forty  three  days;  on  Southern 
LaI)rador,  eighty-seven  days;  and  on  Northern  Labrador,  tifty- 
two  days. 

The  arrival  of  the  cod  on  the  coast,  about  ih(>  1st  of , Tune,  is 
heralde<l  by  the  appearance  of  the  caplin.  This  is  a  beaut  itui 
little  tish,  about  seven  inches  in  length,  which  arrives  in  vast 
nudtitudes,  swarmini;  in  enormous  schools,  in  evcrv  bav  and 
creeU,  and  on  every  tishing-ground  around  the  island.  They 
ap[)roach  the  shores  to  spawn,  and  continue  for  about  six  or 
seven  weeks,  when  tlu'V  disapi)ear,  and  retire  to  some  <h'('i)-sea 
valleys  of  the  shore,  where  they  remain  till  the  sununer  of  the 
following  year.  As  they  press  in  on  the  shon;  in  va>t  masses, 
the  greedy  cod  follows  behind,  feasting  on  the  rich  l)aiii|iu't, 
devouring  its  prey  in  myriads.  U'h"  caplin  furnishes  ijie  best 
bait  for  the  lishernu'n  ;  aiul  the  capl..i  school-titne  is  his  richest 
harvest  season.  Vessels  engaged  in  tishing  on  the;  Hank-  run 
in  to  the  harbors  at  intervals  for  fresh  supi)lies  of  caplin  a>  Itait, 
which  is  preserved  i'  ice.  Some  idea  of  the  innn(>nse  shoals  of 
caplin  that  till  the  l)ays  may  be  f(;rmed  from  the  fact,  that  a 
man  standing  on  shore  with  a  castinj'-net  will  often  till  a  cart 


I 


242 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


\\rl^ 


i'j 


with  tlieiu  in  an  hour.  AVith  .small  .seines  a  couple  of  men  can 
lill  a  small  l)()at  in  an  hour  or  two.  Thousands  of  cartloads  of 
caplin  ait'  purchased  hy  farmers,  who  mix  them  with  earth  and 
l)o^,  and  thus  form  a  most  fcrtilizini;  compost.  Jf  any  means 
could  he  devised  to  cure  them  like  sardines,  which  they 
resemhlc,  caplin  would  become  of  considerable  conunercial 
value,  as  they  have  a  very  dedicate  flavor  when  fresh.  In  a 
calm  moonlight  night  in  June,  when  Hsh  are  pU'utiful,  smd  the 
waters  all  alive  with  marine  forms,  the  silvery  sides  of  the  cod 
may  be  s(!(>n  flashing  in  the  moon-beams,  as  the  fish  leap  out  of 
the  water,  and  dash  ui)on  their  i)rey,  th(!  little  caplin  flying  in 
all  directions,  and  in  evident  terror  often  flinging  tluMuselves  on 
the  bi'ach.  The  world  of  waters,  it  would  seem,  is  no  more 
free  from  terror,  pain,  torture,  and  death,  than  the  land.  Sur- 
rounded by  ravenous  foes,  watching  for  their  assaults,  flying 
for  dear  life,  fishes,  it  may  bo  easily  conceived,  form  a  part  of 
"the  ereation  that  groanelh  and  travaileth  in  pain." 

No  sooner  do  the  cajjlin  retire  from  the  coast  than  a  new 
school  appi'ars,  which  also  su[)ply  food  for  the  cod,  and  valua- 
1)le  bait  for  the  fisherman.  These  are  the  squids,  or  small 
cuttle-lish.  The  usual  time  for  the  a^jpoarancc  of  the  sijuids  is 
about  the  first  of  August.  They  also  remain  for  six  or  seven 
weeks,  and  are  followed  by  the  herring  in  the  end  of  September 
and  ')ctol}cr.  AVithout  these  bait-fishes  the  fishermen  could  do 
little  in  capturing  the  cod. 

In  order  to  form  an  idea  of  the  process  of  curing,  we  shall 
take  a  Newfoundland  codfish,  at  the  time  when  it  is  drawn 
from  the  water,  and  follow  it  throuuh  the  different  stayes  till  It 
reaches  the  exporting  nierchant's  store. 

^\'hen  the  fisherman's  boat,  laden  with  the  day's  catch, 
reaches  his  "  stage  "  —  a  rough  covered  platform,  projecting  over 
i\\(\  water,  and  supported  on  poles  —  the  fish  are  flung  one  by 
one  from  the  boat  to  the  floor  of  the  stage,  with  an  instrument 
resembling  a  small  pitchfork,  and  called  a  "  pew."  The  cod  is  now 
sei/A'd  by  the  "  cut-throat,  "  armed  with  a  sharp  and  pointed  knife, 
with  one  stroke  of  which  he  severs  the  attachment  between  the 
gill-covering  and  the  bell}',  and,  inserting  the  knife  in  the 
nir  thus  made,  slits  the  abdomen  to  the  vent.     He  then 


t>l 


NATURAL   HISTORY  OF  THE  COD. 


243 


makes  a  cut  on  cither  side  of  the  head  at  the  base  of  the  skull, 
and  passes  it  to  the  "header.  "  This  operator  first  extracts  the 
liver,  which  is  dropped  into  a  vessel  l)y  his  side,  to  be  convei-ted 
into  cod-liver  oil.     He  then  wrenches  off  the  head,  removes  the 


■  ;%--v  c-  *         '  -  11'" 


■  .■  ■   •       >?.-.'<i*i,7;.   ,  .  -'ijr. 


:;->^a;^^«';^ 


jr!;.i-i..,vf.- M? 


BTAQB     AND    BOAT  —  FISH-FLAKB. 


viscera,  which  arc  throAvn  into  a  vessel  to  be  preserved  along 
Avith  the  head  for  the  farmer,  who  mixinj;  them  with  bo*:  and 
earth  thus  forms  a  fertili/inij  manure.  The  tonirues  and  sounds, 
or  air-bladders,  are  also  taken  out,  and,  when  pickled,  make 
an    excellent    article    of  food.     The    fish    now    passes    to    the 


i  -, 


J 


2U 


NEWFOUyDLAND. 


Vi'\ 


mm 


W  :  'i 


h  ■  \ 


''spliltiM",  "  who  [)l;ice.s  it  on  its  back,  sind,  holding  it  open  with 
hi.s  left  iiinul,  takes  a  si)litting-knif('  in  his  right,  and  cuts  ah)ng 
the  U'ft  si(hi  of  the  hackliono  to  the  base  of  the  tail.  'V\\v  WAx 
now  lies  oi)en  on  the  table,  and  with  a  sharp  strokt;  of  his  knife, 
the  "s[)litter"  severs  the  baekl>one  at  a  short  <listan<'e  from  the 
extremity,  and  catching  the  end  tluis  freed,  lifts  it  slowly,  and 
following  along  its  side  with  his  knife  (piickly  cnts  it  from  the 
bodv.  The  "sidter"  now  takes  hold  of  the  lish,  and  having; 
carefully  uashed  away  every  particle  of  blood,  he  salts  it  in 
piles  on  the  floor  of  the  fish-house.  After  remaining  the  i)roper 
length  of  time  in  salt,  it  is  taken  from  the  heap,  washed  and 
carried  to  the  "  Hake, "  where  it  is  spread  out  to  (hy.  The  Hake 
consists  of  a  horizontal  framework  of  small  poles  covered  with 
spruce-l)oughs  and  supported  by  upright  poles,  the  air  having 
free  access  beneath.  Here  the  cod  are  spread  out  to  bleach  in 
the  sun  and  air,  and  dtu'ing  the  process  require  constant  atten- 
tion. In  damp  or  rainy  weather,  or  at  the  approach  of  nigiir, 
they  are  piled  in  small  heaps  with  the  skin  outward.  When 
thoroughly  dried  they  have  a  whitish  ai)pearancc,  and  are  then 
ready  for  storing.  In  due  time  the}'  reach  the  merchant's  wharf 
or  store,  where  they  are  weighed  and  "culled,"  or  assorted 
into  four  dilferent  kinds,  called  Merchantable  (the  l)est), 
Madeira,  West  India  (intended  for  the  consumption  of  tiie 
negroes),  and  Dun,  or  ])roken  tish,  which  will  not  kee^),  and  is 
for  home  use.  The  dried  cod  intended  for  Spain,  Italy,  Bru/il, 
or  any  other  hot  country,  is  packed  by  screw-power  in  "  di'unis,"' 
or  small  casks.     To  some  countries  it  is  shipped  in  l)ulk. 

The  cod-liver  oil,  so  famous  as  a  reinedy  in  cases  of  scrofula 
and  consumption,  is  extracted  from  the  liver  of  the  cod.  The 
process  is  very  simple  as  followed  in  Newfoundland.  The  iVesh 
livers,  when  carefully  washed,  are  subjected  to  a  moderate  heat 
in  a  vessel  around  which  warm  Mater  circulates.  The  oil  is 
dipped  out  and  liltercd  three  times  through  bags  of  thin  blank- 
eting or  stout  calico.  After  tlu;  third  filtering  the  oil  conu's  out 
with  a  beautiful  transi)arenc3'  and  almost  inodorous.  It  is  then 
barrelled  for  exportation.  Great  care  is  required  during  the 
process,  in  regard  to  cleanliness,  and  the  a})plication  of  the 
proper  degree  of  heat.     No  adulteration  is  practised  in  New- 


I' ; 


o 
I 


I 
> 

CD 
O 


en 

I 

I 

o 

c 

z 

CD 


i 

fit, 


pit: 


m 
m 


in'' 


!fii 


f 


w 


I.  !^ 


iff 


m:i 


^'^ 


Ik 


i 


■     Mi: 

1'  1  '      ? 

n     '^ 

'h.  ■:/ 

if     : 

LililH 

ilii 

NATURAL   HISTORY  OF  THE  COD. 


245 


foiiiullaiul,  whatever  maybe  done  elsewhere.  This  refined  i-od- 
liver  oil  is  usually  sold  for  al)()ut  a  dollar  per  fridlou  in  the  ••^land. 
In  \k^>>\  it  was  worth  a  luuKlred  and  eiirhty  dollars  )ier  tun. 
Common  eod  oil  is  used  for  tannery  and  other  i)ur})oses,  and  is 
"worth  a  hundred  and  eij^ht  dollars  per  tun. 

The  eod  is  the  most  useful  of  all  fish.  \o  j)art  is  valueless. 
The  head  is  sometimes  cooked  and  eaten.  ^lore  frequently,  in 
Newfoundland,  it  is  alon^ij  with  the  intestines  eonverted  into 
manure.  The  offal  an<l  hones  of  the  eod,  when  steanie(l,  dried, 
and  uround,  are  eonvei'ted  into  a  fish  ii'uano,  which  is  almost 
etjual  as  a  fertilizer  tf)  tiic  Peruvian  auano.  From  the  swim- 
minjx  bladder  isinu^Iass  is  made.  Th(>  roe  is  (>\-p(U't(^(l  to  France, 
and  used  as  "round  bait  in  the  sardine;  fisherv.  The  tonijfues 
and  sounds  arc  u  delicate  article  of  food.  The  Xorweui:ins  ixive 
the  h(>ad,  with  marine  plants,  to  their  cows,  for  the  purpose  of 
increasini^  their  milk  ;  while  the  Icelanders  use  the  vertebra', 
bones,  and  ribs,  for  a  similar  pur[)ose. 

The  appai'atus  used  by  the  Xewfoundland  fishermen  are  the 
hook-and-line,  the  seiiu>,  the  cod-net  or  aill-net,  the  cod-tra}), 
and  the  l)ultow.  Tlu;  simi)lest  and  least  expensive  inod(!  of 
li^hiniL!:  is  the  hook-and-line,  or  hand-line.  The  best  l»ait  is  the 
caplin.  Too  larj^o  a  proportion  of  the  Xewfoundland  lishe.tnen 
depend  on  this  hand-line  fishini;,  from  small  punts  near  the 
sh()r(>.  It  is  least  expensive,  ])ut  also  least  renumerative  ;  and 
poverty,  in  a  vast  numl)er  of  instances,  forbids  the  us(>  of  the 
iiui)roved  methods,  which,  however,  are  jiradually  extendinir. 
A\'hen  very  fat,  the  cod  does  not  bite  readily,  and  the  hook-and- 
line  men  do  best  when  the  fish  is  thin  and  towards  tlu;  end  of 
the  season.  When  spawninii',  the  cod  does  not  take  the  bait 
well ;  and  it  is  then  that  the  seines,  nets,  and  traps  are  s|)(«cially 
serviceable.  The  nets  and  seines  are  suspended  in  the  water 
from  floats  of  cork  or  wo(  I.  The  Xorweuians  now  us(!  almost 
exclusively  hollow  ulass  lloats,  covered  with  kn(»ttcd  tari'ed 
cord  as  a  protection.  They  are  found  to  be  a  ;,n'eat  improve- 
ment on  the  old  buoys.  Ihdtows  are  used  extensively  on  the 
({rcat  Uanks,  and  also  very  larji'cly  round  the  slioi'i's  and  at  the 
entrances  of  the  bays.  The  bidtow  is  simply  a  set-line  mode 
of  fishinu',  and  is  called  in  some  places  a  "trawl-line."     It  is 


246 


NE  WFO  UXDLAXD. 


r    I 


a  vast  improvement  on  the  hand-line,  as  several  hundreds  of 
hooks  are  baited,  and  each  is  attached  to  a  fine  line  of  hemp  or 
cotton.  These  short  lines  are  suspended  at  intci'vals  on  a  long 
line  carrying  over  one  hundred  hooks,  which  are  dropped  from 
the  boats  and  secured  hy  buoys  and  anchors,  and  left  all  night 
and  taken  up  in  the  morning.  On  the  Banks  many  miles  arc 
covered  by  these  bultows,  which  are  secured  by  suitable  moor- 
ings to  prevent  their  being  carried  away  by  the  strong  currents 
which  usually  prevail  on  the  Banks.  They  are  overhauled  each 
day  and  the  fish  taken  ofi". 

r  The  countries  to  which  the  Newfoundland  cod  is  exported  ;ire 
Brazil,  Spain,  Portugal,  Italy,  the  AVest  Indies,  the  United 
States,  and  Great  Britain.  Brazil  and  Spain  are  the  colony's 
best  customers. 


1. 


hiil! 


THE  SEAL  INDUSTRY. 


247 


, 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE   SEAL  INDUSTRY. 

Ancient  methods  of  taking  seals  —  Perils  and  hardships  of  the  hunters  —  The  be- 
ginning of  the  season  —  Steamers  and  sailing-vessels  —  Battling  with  the  ice 
—  Impressive  scenes  — The  Aurora  Borealis  —  IIow  a,8caling-shi[)  is  fitted  — 
The  hunters  at  work  —  How  the  seals  are  killed  and  packed  for  port  —  Con- 
verting the  seal  for  market  —  Oil  and  leather. 

Next  to  the  cod-fishcrjs  the  most  vahtablc  of  the  Newfound- 
land fisheries  is  that  of  the  seal.  While  the  cod-tishery  has 
been  prosecuted  for  three  hundred  and  eighty  years,  the  seal 
fishery  is  not  more  than  eighty  years  old.  Until  the  l)egiiuiing 
of  the  present  century  tiie  attention  of  the  people  was  absorbed 
in  the  capture  of  cod.  L'Abbe  llaynall  tells  us  that  as  early  as 
1763  some  English  fishermen  used  to  repair  to  certain  parts  of 
the  island  during  winter,  for  the  prosecution  of  the  seal-fishery. 
This  was  entirely  an  in-shore  net-fisherj^  and  must  have  l)een 
carried  on  upon  a  small  scale.  TIic  fishermen  phiced  their  nets 
between  the  shore  and  the  islands  or  rocks  lying  at  a  short 
distance  from  it,  and  the  seals,  in  passing  these  narrow  places, 
were  caught.  In  the  "Scots  Magazine"  for  March,  1704,  it  is 
stated  that  a  valuable  whale-fishery  had  also  been  discovered 
and  prosecuted  during  the  i)receding  three  years  in  the  Gidf 
and  Kiver  of  St.  Lawrence.  The  New  England  people  sent 
from  fifty  to  eighty  vessels  to  tiike  part  in  this  tishery,  which 
app(!ars  to  htivo  been  very  vtiluable.  In  Fortune  Bay  whales 
continued  to  be  liiken  for  many  years,  and  are  still  captured; 
but  this  fishery  is  now  unimportant.  Up  to  1774  vessels  went 
to  the  seas  around  the  island  in  pursuit  of  tlie  Wiilrus  —  morse, 
or  sea-horse,  as  it  is  indifi'erently  ntuned.  In  the  retiu-ns  of 
the  admirals  who  commanded  on  the  sttition,  we  find  entries  of 
sea-cow  oil,  skins,  and  teeth,  each  year  from  17(57  to  1774,  after 


218 


NE  WFO  UXDLAXD. 


i-.' 


ill  ;i 


lii,  ' 


wliirli  tliey  do  not  occur.  The  value  nuigcs  IVoui  £1,000  to 
£2,300  per  annum.  The  walruses  luivc  long  since  disappeaix'd. 
A  \van(l(;rcr  is  still,  however,  cccasionally  captured  l>y  the 
seal-hunters. 

Another  mode  of  killing;  seals  was  by  shootinij  from  largo 
boats,  which  sailed  about  the  middle  of  April.  At  that  time 
of  year  the  "  wheli)ing  ice "  had  passed  many  weeks,  and 
the  young  seals  having  taken  to  the  water,  only  a  few  str.ig- 
glers  came  within  range.  As  late  as  17'J5  the  whole  catch  of 
seals  only  amounted  to  4,900  per  annum.  A  great  stej)  in  ad- 
vance was  made  when  the  sealing-boats  gave  place  to  small 
schooners  of  from  thirty  to  Hfty  tons,  cairying  twelve  or  four- 
te(>n  men,  the  outfit  of  each  vessel  costing  ul)out  £7.').  'Ihey 
did  not  at  first  leave  port  till  after  ^larch  2ist,  to  avoid  the 
equinoctial  gales,  or  "St.  ]*atrick's  brush,"  as  it  was  called, 
and  were  often  too  late  for  the  young  seals,  though  they  met 
plenty  of  ice.  Soon,  however,  they  learned  to  start  somewhat 
earlier.  In  1807  there  were  only  about  fifty  vessels  from  all 
the  [)orts  in  the  island,  of  from  thirty  to  sixty  tons,  engaged  in 
the  seal-fishery.  This  industry,  however,  proved  so  renumer- 
ative  that  its  growth  was  very  rapid.  In  1805,  81,088  seals 
were  taken;  in  1815,  120,;U5 ;  in  1820,  213,(571);  in  1822, 
30(),9.S2;  in  1830,  558,942;  in  1840,  031,385;  in  1.S42, 
344,083  ;  and  in  1844,  685,530  seals,  the  largest  number  ever 
taken  in  one  year.  In  1857  there  were  nearly  four  hundred 
vessels,  of  from  eighty  to  two  hundred  tons'  burden,  engaged 
in  the  seal-fishery,  their  united  crev/s  mnnbering  13,()00  men, 
the  total  catch  of  seals  that  year  being  close  on  half  a  million, 
worth  $1,700,000.  Since  that  date  the  catch  of  seals  has  not 
increased,  and  has  varied  greatly  from  year  to  year.  In  18G0 
it  amounted  to  444,202  seals;  in  1802,  2(58, 42();  in  1871, 
537,01)4;  in  1872,  278,372;  in  1873,  52(5,000;  in  1874, 
398,33(5;  in  1877,  451,(578;  in  1880,  223,795;  in  1881, 
447,903) ;  and  in  1882,  about  200,500  seals,  being  the  smallest 
number  on  record  since  1818.  The  cause  of  this  last  failure 
was  the  continuous  blockade;  of  th<>  coasts  and  bays  by  heavy 
ic(!,  impeding  the  movcmenis  of  lh(>  vessels.  The  average 
amuuU  value  at  present  of  the  seal-fishery  is  altout  $1,100,000, 


1 1 


I   '  I 


SF.AL    HUNTER.       P,i«l.   ?H, 


!:*> 


m 


f!'    ,'■  . 


I  '  i 


« 


THE  SEAL  INDUSTRY. 


240 


bciiiir  ahoiit  an  oJuhtli  part  of  tlu^  (Mitiro  exports.  Tlu'  imniher 
of  iiH'ii  tMijpIoyod  is  from  JS,0()()  to  10,000. 

1'lms,  hoiriiuiiiii^  with  a  few  nets,  tlicrc  followed  the  sealiiiu- 
])()ats  and  the  little  sehooniTs,  eafiyinu"  eaeh  a  do/en  men,  nnlil 
the  industry  was  prosecuted  with  vessels  of  200  or  2")0  Ions, 
and  crews  of  forty  or  fifty  men.  At  lenirth  all-con(iuerinu' 
.steam  entered  the  iield,  and  in  IHIJ.'I  the  first  steamer  look  part 
in  tills  lishery.  Since  then  the  mnnher  of  steamei's  has  rajiidly 
incicased,  and  the  number  of  sailing-vessels  has  still  more 
rapidly  diminished.  The  day  is  not  very  distant  when  this 
industry  will  l)e  carried  on  sohdy  l»y  powerful  steamers.  In 
1MI(!  there  were  177  sailing-vessels  and  live  steamers;  in  1^*71 
there  were  201  sealing-vessels  and  thirteen  steamers ;  their 
united  crows  numbering  !>,71)1  men.  In  1^7;)  there  were 
eighteen  steamers,  and  at  present  there  ar(!  al)out  twenty-live, 
some  of  them  of  500  tons"  burden.  They  are  strongly  built,  to 
stand  the  pressiu'o  of  ice  and  cleave  their  way  through  the  ice- 
fields, being  stoutly  timbered,  sheathed  with  iron-wood,  and 
having  ii'on-plated  stems.  IMiey  carry  from  l^O  to  ;!00  men. 
Of  late  years,  six  of  the  tine  Dundee  steamers  that  ibrnierly  took 
l)art  in  theGrecmland  seal-lishery,  now  comparativ(^ly  exhausted, 
]ia\e  come  out  each  season  to  Newfoundland,  shipped  crews 
there,  and  engaged  in  the  fishery.  They  are  among  the  linest 
of  the  sealing-lleet. 

There  is  always  great  excitement  connected  with  the  seal- 
fishery.  The  perils  and  hardships  to  be  encounterc(l,  the  skill 
and  courage  recjuired  in  battling  with  the  ice-giants,  and  the 
})(>ssil»le  rich  prizes  to  be  won,  throw  a  romantic  interest  around 
this  adventure.  Not  the  scal-huntcrs  alone,  but  the  whole  pop- 
ulation, from  tlu'  richest  to  the  poorest,  taki'  a  deep  intercut  in 
the  lorlunes  of  the  hunt.  It  is  like  an  army  going  out  to  do 
l)attle  for  those  who  remain  at  home.  In  this  ca>e  the  enemies 
to  bi'  encountered  are  the  icebergs,  the  t(!mpe>t,  and  the  hlind- 
ing  snow-storm.  A  steamer  will  sometimes  go  out  and  return 
in  two  or  three  weeks,  laden  to  the  gunwale,  occasionally 
bringing  home  as  many  as  thirty  to  forty  thousand  seals,  each 
worth  two  and  a  half  or  three,  dollars.  The  successful  hunters 
are  welcomed  with  thundering  cheers,  like  returning  compicrors, 


I* 


250 


NE  WFO  UXDL  A  ND. 


luil'!'^' 


aii<l  are  the  licrocs  of  the  hour.  What  tales  they  ha^v.  to  relate 
of  ])('rils  in  icy  wildernesses,  of  narrow  escapes  from  beini^ 
crushed,  of  the  cold  ])luntre  into  the  treacherous  ice-chasm,  of 
fierce  combats  with  the  "ohl  Dog  Hood"!  No  wonder  the 
yoiniir  Newfoundlander  pants  for  the  day  when  ho  will  uet  "  a 
berth  for  the  ice,"  and  share  in  the  Avild  joys  and  excitement  of 
the  hunt. 

According  to  law,  no  sailinij-vessel  can  be  cleared  for  the  ice 
before  the  1st  of  March,  and  no  steamer  l)efore  the  lOth  of 
INIarch ;  a  start  in  advance  of  ten  days  being  thus  accorded  to 
the  vessels  which  depend  on  wind  alone.  As  the  time  for 
starting  ai)i)roaches,  the  streets  and  wharves  of  the  cai)ital 
assmnc  an  appearance  of  bustle  which  contrasts  pleasantly  with 
the  previous  stagnation.  The  steamers  and  sailing-vessels 
begin  to  take  in  stores  and  complete  their  repairs.  Kougli 
berths  are  fitted  up  for  the  scalers  ;  bags  of  biscuit,  barrels  of 
pork,  and  other  necessaries  are  stowed  away;  water,  fuel, 
and  b;  Mast  are  taken  on  board;  the  sheathing  of  the  ships, 
which  has  to  stand  the  grinding  of  the  heavy  Arctic  ice,  is  care- 
fully insi)ected.  A  crowd  of  eager  applicants  surrounds  the 
shipping-offices  —  powerful-looking  men  in  rough  jackets  and 
long  boots,  splashing  tobacco-juice  over  the  white  snow  in  all 
directions,  and  shouldering  one  another  in  their  anxiety  to  get 
booked.  The  great  anxiety  is  to  secure  a  place  on  board  one 
of  the  steamers,  the  chances  of  success  being  considered  nuich 
1)etter  than  on  board  the  sailing-vessels.  The  masters  of  the 
steamers  are  thus  able  to  make  up  their  crews  with  picked  men. 
Each  steamer  has  on  board  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  three 
hundred  men,  and  it  would  be  diflScult  to  find  a  more  stalwart 
lot  of  fellows  in  the  royal  navy  itself.  The  second-rate  and 
older  men  are  obliged  to  content  themselves  with  berths  on 
board  the  sailing-vessels,  while  many  poor  fellows  are  obliged 
to  be  left  behind  without  employment.  The  steamers  have 
an  immense  advantage  over  the  sailing-vessels.  Thev  can 
cleave  their  way  through  the  "  slob "  and  heavy  ice-packs 
against  the  wind ;  they  can  double  and  beat  about  in  search 
of  the  "seal  patches";  and  when  the  prey  is  found  they  can 
hold  on  to   the  ice-fields,  while  sailing-vessels  arc  liable    to 


liiili  ji 


TUE  SEAL  INDUSTRY. 


251 


be  driven  off  by  a  change  of  wind,  and  if  beset  with  ice, 
are  often  powerless  to  escape.  It  is  not  to  ])e  wondered  at 
tliat  steamers  are  rapidly  superseding  sailing-vessels  in  the  seal- 
fishery.  They  can  make  two,  and  even  three,  trips  to  the  ice- 
fields during  the  season,  and  thus  leave  behind  the  antiquated 
sealer  dependent  on  the  winds.  Before  the  introduction  of 
steamers  one  hundred  and  twenty  sailing-vessels,  of  from  forty 
to  two  hundred  tons,  used  to  leave  the  port  of  St.  John's  alone 
for  the  seal-fishery.  Now  they  are  reduced  to  some  half-dozen, 
but  from  the  more  distant  "  outports  "  numbers  of  small  sailing- 
vessels  still  engage  in  this  special  industry. 

The  young  seals  are  ])orn  on  the  ice  from  the  ir)th  to  the  2r)th 
of  Fcliruary,  and  as  they  grow  rai)idly,  and  yield  a  nmch  liner 
oil  than  the  old  ones,  the  object  of  the  hunters  is  to  reach  them 
in  their  babyhood,  while  yet  fed  by  their  mother's  milk,  and 
while  they  are  powerless  to  escape.  So  quickly  do  they 
increase  in  bulk  that  by  the  20th  of  March  they  are  in  perfect 
condition.  By  the  1st  of  April  they  begin  to  take  to  the  water, 
and  can  no  longer  be  captured  in  the  ordinary  way.  The  great 
Arctic  current,  fed  by  streams  from  the  seas  east  of  Greenland, 
and  from  Baffin's  and  Hudson's  Bays,  bears  on  its  bosom  hun- 
dreds of  square  miles  of  floating  ice,  which  are  carried  past 
the  shores  of  Newfoundland  to  find  their  destiny  in  the  warm 
waters  of  the  Gulf  Stream.  Somewhere  amid  these  floating 
masses  the  seals  have  brought  forth  their  young,  wh"  '  "•cumin 
on  the  ice,  during  the  first  period  of  their  growth,  fu  five  or 
six  weeks.  The  great  aim  of  the  hunters  is  to  get  among  the 
hordes  of  "  white-coats,"  as  the  young  har})  seals  are  called, 
during  this  period.  For  this  purpose  they  go  forth  at  the 
appointed  time,  steering  northward  till  they  come  in  sight  of 
those  terrible  icy  wildernesses  which,  agitated  by  the  swell  of 
the  Atlantic,  threaten  destruction  to  all  rash  invaders.  These 
hardy  seal-hunters,  however,  Avho  are  accustomed  to  battle  with 
the  floes,  are  quite  at  home  among  the  bergs  and  crushing  ice- 
masses  ;  and  where  other  mariners  would  shrink  away  in  terror, 
they  fearlessly  dash  into  the  ice  wherever  an  opening  presents 
itself,  in  search  of  their  prey. 

In  the  ice-fields  the  surface  of  the  ocean  is  covered  with  a 


2.')  2 


XEWFOrXDLAXD. 


irli<l<'iiiiir  oxpan.sc  of  ico  dotted  with  towcriiiir  bortrs  of  cwm-v 
sliiipc  ;md  size,  li:ivinir  L^lcniniiiir  tun'cts.  doiiics,  :md  s|(irc~. 
Tlic  surface  of  the  iee-lield  is  niir.i^ed  and  broken.  lisinLf  tVe- 
qiieiilly  into  steep  hilloeks  and  ridges.  The  scen(>  in  wliieh 
"The  Ancient  Mariner"  found  himself  i.s  fully  real  i/x'd  :  — 


"  And  now  tliero  came  both  mist  and  snow, 
Anil  it  ^frt'W  womlrous  colil; 
And  icL',  niiisi-iiiuli,  caniu  lli);itinj^  by, 
As  "ri'on  as  cnKTald. 


"  And  tlirouj,'li  the  drifts  tlie  snowy  clifta 
Did  send  a  dismal  sheen  : 
Nor  shapes  of  men,  nor  beasts  we  ken  — 
The  ice  was  all  between. 

"  The  ice  was  here,  the  ice  was  there, 
The  ice  was  all  around; 
It  cracked  and  jjrowled,  and  roared  and  howled. 
Like  noises  in  a  sw<)nnd." 


I: 


When  a  stcM'ni  arises  amid  these  icy  solitudes  the  scene  is 
irnind  and  awful  li(>yond  all  jiowers  of  description. 

The  un])roken  swell  of  the  Atlantic  rollinir  in  hu^ijo  continuous 
ridL'"es,  heaves  the  pavement  of  ice  on  its  niiirhty  folds,  and  al- 
ternately lifts  up  the  vessels  as  playthin<rs  on  its  broad  donii^s, 
or  swallows  th(>m  up  in  its  deep  hollows.  .Si)ce(lily,  by  the 
upheaving  of  the  waves,  the  ice-tield,  many  hundreds  of  s(|uare 
miles  in  area,  is  broken  up  into  countless  Hoes,  or  smaller 
pieces.  The  whole  mass  oikmis  and  expands;  and  then  the 
broken  fra<rnicnts  are  diished  auainst  one  another  with  resistless 
violence,  and  i)iled  on  each  other,  forminir  "himnnocks,"  or 
hills  of  ice.  Or,  under  pressure  of  the  storm,  it  frc(juently 
htii)[)ens  that  the  ice  is  "rafted,"  as  the  sealers  call  it ;  that  is, 
the  iVafruients  tire  i)iled  in  layers  one  over  the  other,  to  the 
lieiLiilt  of  thirty  or  forty  feet,  beino-  lifted  hy  the  swell  and 
hurled  forward,  as  if  from  huire  catapults.  AVoe  to  the  unfor- 
tunate vess(d  thtit  is  Avithin  the  ranire  of  these  fearful  missiles  I 
]n  this  terrible  war  of  elements,  the  tlumderiii!^  crashes,  as  the 
ice-Lriants  meet  and  dash  one  another  to  death,  the  tloes  and 
beriirs  i;'rapi)linfr  with  each  other  in  the  frav.  and  the  roarinu: 


! 


Ml 


THE  SEAL  IXDUSTRY. 


253 


l.s 


overhead  of  the  l)liiKlinir  .snow-storm,  all  coinl)ine  to  make  up  a 
scene  of  terrihle  confusion.  .Vi  times  tin;  irieantic  iccherg 
takes  part  in  the  contest,  and  home  alonir  in  its  uns\vervin«^ 
course  hy  the  cUh-j)  sea-current,  heedless  of  wind  and  wavi',  it 
smites  the  ice-lield  as  with  tiie  hanuner  of  Tiior,  rcndinij:  and 
tearing  the  mighty  mass,  and  sending  its  fragments  Hying  in  all 
directions.  Frec^uently  the  ice  ac(juires  a  rotary  motion  ;  and 
when  we  consider  the  unense  weight  of  these  ])onderous  masses,  >■>■. 
wo  may  form  some  faint  concei)tion  of  the  hlow  delivered  hy 
such  a  hody  when  set  in  motion  l)y  the  tempest.  8coresI)y 
calculates  one  at  ten  thousand  millions  of  tons.  .Such  are  the 
scenes  amid  which  the  seal-hunters  have  to  gather  in  ''the 
precious  things  of  th(>  deep."  Considering  all  the  perils,  it  is 
sur[)rising  how  few  fatal  disasters  occur.  During  the  seal  hunt 
of  1872  one  hundred  men  perished,  tiftv  of  these  liavini:-  li'one 
down  in  a  single  vessel  calK'tl  the  "Huntsman,"  on  the  coast  of 
Ljihrador.  In  the  same  year,  two  steamcn's,  the  "Bloodhound" 
and  "Ketriever,"  were  crushed  hy  the  ice  and  sank,  hut  their 
crews,  nunil)ering  nearly  four  hundred  men,  managed  to  reach 
Dattle  Harbor,  on  Labrador,  over  the  ice,  after  enduring  great 
hardshijis.  Another  steamer,  called  the  "  Monticello."  also 
sank,  in  consequence  of  injuries  received  from  the  ice,  but  her 
crew  were  all  saved. 

Hai)i)ily  these  terrible  storms  are  not  frequent.  For  the 
most  part  the  sea  is  at  rest,  and  then  the  ice-iields  ])rescnt 
a  strange  beaut}'  of  their  own,  which  has  a  wonderful  fascina- 
tion. JJeneath  the  mild  light  of  the  moon,  and  in  contrast  with 
the  tleej)er  blue  of  the  sky,  ice  scenery  is  always  most  inq)res- 
sive.  \\'hen  the  sim  is  shining  brightly  it  is  t  )o  dazzling,  antl 
its  monotonv  is  wearisome.  The  moon,  the  stars,  and  the 
llickerinii;  aurora  are  needed  to  reveal  all  iis  beautv.  During 
the  calm  that  follows  the  storm,  the  eveninirs  amid  the  ice-lields 


are  often  verv  IdvcIn' 


Tl 


w.  dry  bracmg  atmosphere  sen 


Is    tl 


le 


bh^od  dancing  through  tlu;  veins.  The  clouds  h;ive  cleared 
away,  unlblding  a  lo\ely  sky,  studded  with  stars,  through 
which  a  brilliant  moon  sails  in  calm  radiancy.  The  ice,  by  tho 
pinions  of  the  storm,  has  been  opened  in  all  directions,  and  the 
seal-hunters  tind  themselves  sailing  gently  through  calm  water, 


254 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


amid  mimerous  fairy  islets  of  ^littenng  ice,  with  shiniuir  pin- 
nacles and  fantastic  forms  floating  calmly  around.  Frequcnths 
in  such  nights  the  auroral  display  is  magnificent.  An  innncnsc 
curtain  of  light  is  spread  over  the  sky,  having  a  border  of  the 
richest  and  most  vivid  colors,  waving  its  folds  like  the  canopy 
of  an  innnense  tent  when  agitated  hy  the  wind ;  grecni,  blue, 
and  red  hues  are  seen  coloring  the  aurora.  Occasionall}'  the 
whole  sky  is  Hushed  with  intense  crimson,  which,  when  reflected 
from  the  snow,  gives  it  a  hlood-red  hue.  Then  vast  flame-cur- 
tains seem  to  open  and  close  with  inconceivable  rapidity,  and 
radiations  of  purple,  pink,  green,  and  orange  sport  about  the 
heavens,  swelling  like  waves  upon  a  mysterious  shore.  Flashes 
of  light  in  (juick  succession  dart  from  side  to  side,  the  sky 
being  one  moment  dark  and  the  next  lighted  up  with  fitful 
gleams.  Long  converging  i)encils  of  light  of  various  colors 
range  themselves  round  a  blank  sj>ace  near  the  zenith,  and  form 
a  corona,  and  then  suddenly  vanish,  leaving  the  upper  sky  un- 
occupied.    Such  is 


c 
O 

33 


"  The  bdrcalis  race, 
Tliat  flit  ire  you  can  mark  their  place." 


<:    .! 


We  shall  now  look  into  the  cquii)nient  of  a  sealing  steamer, 
and  then  in  imagination  accompany  her  to  the  ice-fields,  in 
order  to  form  some  idea  of  the  hunt. 

In  the  last  week  of  February  the  roads  leadinir  from  the  various 
outi)orts  to  St.  Johns  begin  to  be  enlivened  by  the  appearance 
of  the  sealers,  or,  as  they  are  called  in  the  vernacular,  "silcrs," 
their  enter[)rise  being  designatcKl  "swile  huntin'."  Each  of  theiu 
carries  a  bundle  of  spare  clothing  over  his  shoulder,  swinging 
at  the  extremity  of  a  pole  six  or  seven  feet  in  length,  which  is 
called  a  "gaff,"  Jmd  which  serves  as  a  bat  or  iclub  to  strike  the 
seal  on  the  nose,  where  it  is  most  vulnerable.  The  same 
weai)on  serves  as  an  ice-pole  in  leaping  from  "  pan"  to  "pan," 
and  is  also  used  for  dragging  the  skin  and  fat  of  the  seal  over 
the  fields  and  hummocks  of  ice  to  th<^  side  of  the  vessel.  To 
answer  these  various  purposes  -the  "gaff"  is  armed  with  an 
iron  hook  at  one  end  and  bound  with  iron.     Some  of  the  men, 


lii 


c 
o 

33 
> 


O 
(/I 

■a 
r 
> 


THE  SEAL   INDUSTRY. 


255 


in  addition,  caivy  a  long  seuling-gun  on  their  shoulders.  These 
are  the  "l)o\v"  or  "after  gunners,"  who  are  marksmen,  to  slioot 
old  !?eal.s,  or  others  that  cannot  be  reached  l)y  the  "gatl"."  The 
outtit  of  the  sealers  is  of  the  simplest  (lescrii)tion.  Sealskin 
boots  reachiu":  to  the  knee,  havini>;  a  thick  leather  soh*  well 
naiUnl,  to  enable  them  to  walk  over  the  ice,  protect  the  feet  ; 
coarse  canvas  jackets,  often  showing  the  industry  of  a  wife  or 
mother  in  the  numl)er  of  patches  which  adorn  them,  an;  worn 
over  warm  woollen  shirts  and  other  inner  clothing ;  Kv;alskin 
caps  and  tweed  or  moleskin  trousers,  with  thick  woollen  mits, 
com[)lete  the  costume,  which  is  more  ])ictures<|ue  than  hand- 
some. 

In  the  forecastle,  or  other  parts  of  each  ship,  rough  berths  are 
constructed.  The  sealers  have  to  furnish  themselves  with  a 
straw  mattress  and  blanketing.  The  men  are  })acke(l  like 
herrings  in  a  barrel,  and  as  a  rule  they  never  undress  during 
the  voyage.  In  the  rare  event  of  i)utting  on  a  chian  shirt  it 
goes  over  its  predecessor,  without  removing  the  l;ittci',  a 
method  which  safes  lime  and  trouble,  and  is,  besidv's,  con- 
ducive to  warmth.  The  owner  of  the  vessel  supplies  the 
j)rovi'si()ns.  In  sailing-vessels  half  the  jjroeeeds  of  the  voyage 
are  divided  as  wages  among  the  men,  but  in  steamers  only  a 
third  is  thus  dislril)uted.  The  cajjlain  gets  a  certain  muuber 
of  cents  ])er  seal. 

The  food  of  the  men  is  none  of  the  daintiest,  and  no  one  who 
is  at  all  squeamish  aliout  what  lu;  "eats,  drinks,  and  asoids" 
ne«ul  aitem[)t  to  go  "swih>  huntin'."  The  tliet  consists  of 
bi>cuil,  pork,  butter,  and  tea  sweetened  with  molasses.  On 
three  days  of  the  week  dinner  consists  of  pork  and  "diil!',"  tiie 
latter  item  consisting  of  Hour  and  water  with  a  little  fatty  suit- 
stance  intermi.xed  "to  lighten  it."  When  boiled  it  is  alino>t  as 
hard  as  a  cannon-ball.  On  the  other  four  days  of  the  week  all 
the  meals  consist  of  tea,  sweetened  with  molasses,  and  biscuit. 
8uch  is  the  rough  fare  on  which  these  hardy  fellows  go  through 
their  trying  and  laborious  work.  When,  howescr,  they  fall  in 
with  seals,  their  diet  is  improvi'd.  They  cook  the  heart,  liver, 
nippers,  and  other  [)arts.  and  feast  on  them  '/'/  llhlhiui,  and 
generally  come  ashore  in  excellent  condition,  though  the  odor 


■.i\ 


■i 


250 


NE  WFO  UXDLAKD. 


■<\ 


i        I 

'  ,  •     '■  ' 

''   '  ] 

I!  ) 

I  ,;     \ 

■if    ;'l 

rii 

ill  j 


!|!'' 


that  attends  tlicin  docs  not  snirgost  the  ".spicy  hreozos  which 
i)lo\v  soft  from  Ci'^doiTs  Isle."  When  out  on  the  ice,  it  is  ;i 
eomnion  i)i'actice  to  strini^  upon  their  l)elts  a  dozen  or  two  of 
seals"  kidneys,  and  eat  theni  raw,  as  a|)potito  prompts.  The 
hearts  of  seals  are  treated  in  the  same  way.  The  usi*  of  fresh 
seal  meat  in  this  fashion  is  hiirhly  conducive  to  h(;alth,  and  the 
hest  |)reventive  of  scurvy.  Very  little  sickness  occurs  anioni;" 
the  men  while  leadinir  this  rouLdi  life.  'I'hey  are  often  out  for 
eiirhl  or  ten  weeks  without  seeimi'  land,  and  eiuhirinn"  the 
harde>t  toils.  When  seals  ai'e  taken  in  lart^'c  (|uantities,  tho 
hold  of  the  vessel  is  lirst  tilled,  and  then  the  men  willini:ly 
sui'icnder  llieir  berths,  which  are  jjacked  full  of  "white-coats." 
In  fact,  every  nook  and  coi'uei'  is  crammecl  with  the  i)recious 
fat  :  and  the  sealers  sleep  where  they  can  —  in  barrels  on  deck, 
on  a  layiM'  of  seals,  or  in  the  coal-hunks.  It  is  marvtdlous  to 
see  men,  after  einht  or  ten  weeks  of  such  a  lif(>,  leap  asluuo 
Ix'arty  and  viti'orous.  Their  outer  ;j,arments  are  polished  with 
seal  fat  and  the  Mood  of  their  victims,  and  it  is  advisalilc  to 
keep  to  windward  of  them  till  they  have  })r(«t'ured  a  ehani:(>  of 
clothini:'. 

The  experiences  of  u  sealing"  voyaue  are  various,  heinii-  iii- 


iucncec 


I   l)v  the  ever-shiftiuLr  condition  of  the  ic(>  and    tl 


iC     (U- 


rection  of  the  winds.  The  u'rand  aim  of  the  sealers  is  to  reach 
that  portion  of  tiie  ice  which  is  the  '' whelpiuLi'-u'rounds  "  of  the 
seaU,  while  yet  the  younu^  ai'e  in  theii'  plump  oleairinous  hahy- 
hood.  'ITic  position  of  thi^  icy-cradle  is  utterly  uncertain,  lieini^ 
dependent  on  the  movements  of  the  ice  and  the  force  of  winds 
and  waves.  It  has  to  he  sou!j:hl^  for  amid  vast  ice-lields.  At 
times,  in  endea\'orinii'  to  ])Ush  her  way  throuuh,  t he  ve>sel  is 
cau.ulit  in  the  heavy  ice;  and  then  the  ice-saws  are  called  into 
re(|nisition  to  cut  an  openinu'  to  the  nearest  "lead"  kA'  clear 
water,  tlial  she  may  work  herwaynorth.  lint  the'  heavy  Ai'ctic 
ice  may  close  in  under  the  'pressiu'e  of  a  nor'-easter.  and  then  n(» 
amount  of  steam-powei'  can  drive  her  throui^ii.  IIowliuLi'  niulit 
closes  in  :  hei'us  and  Hoes  are  crashinu'  all  around,  and  momen- 
tarily threateninu'  her  with  de^truction  :  the  wind  roars  through 
the  shrouds,  drivin;.:'  on  its  winirs  the  arrowy  sleet  and  snow, 
sharp  as  needles,   which   only  men  ot'  iron  can  stand.     Thus 


lij'. 


THE  SEAL  INDUSTRY. 


257 


IC 

1 

IIO 

1 

ht, 

1 

M- 

-iil 

\\', 

US 

locked  ill  the  embrace  of  the  floe  the  luckless  vessel  is  drifted 
helplessly  hundreds  of  miles,  till  a  favorable  wind  loosens  the 
icy  prison  walls.  It  is  no  uncommon  occurrence  for  a  hundred 
vessels  to  be  thus  beset  by  heavy  ice  through  which  no  j)assago 
can  bo  forced.  Some  are  "  nii)ped,"  some  crushed  to  atoms, 
and  the  men  have  to  escape  for  their  lives  over  the  ice.  Others 
are  carried  into  the  great  northern  bji.ys,  or  borne  in  the  heavy 
"pack"  up  and  down  on  the  ocean  for  weeks,  returning  to  port 
"  clean,"  that  is,  without  a  single  seal.  There  are  seasons  when 
the  boldest  and  most  skilful  captains  fail.  At  other  times,  by 
a  turn  of  good  fortune,  a  vessel  "  strikes  the  seals  "  a  day  or  two 
after  leaving  port,  and  iinds  herself  in  the  middle  of  a  "seal 
patch"  sufficient  to  load  the  "Great  Eastern."  The  whole  ico 
for  miles  around  is  covered  thick  with  the  young  "  white-coats," 
and  in  a  fortnight  from  the  time  of  the  departure,  she  returns 
to  port  loaded  to  the  gunwale,  her  very  decks  being  piled  with 
the  skins  and  fat  of  the  seals. 

When  approaching  such  an  El  Dorado  as  this,  the  excitement 
on  board  may  be  imagined,  as  the  welcome  whimpering  of  the 
young  harp  seals  is  heaid.  Their  cry  has  a  remarkable  resem- 
blance to  the  sobbing  or  whining  of  an  infant  in  pain,  which  is 
redoubled  as  the  destroyers  api)roach.  Young  hunters  who  now 
ply  theii  gall's  for  the  tirst  time  are  often  almost  overcome  by 
these  baby  lamentations.  Com[)assion,  however,  is  soon  gulped 
down.  The  vcissel  is  "  laid  to,"  the  men  eagerly  bound  on  the 
ice,  and  the  work  of  destruction  begins.  A  blow  on  the  nose 
from  the  galf  stuns  or  kills  the  young  seal.  Instantly  the 
sculping-knife  is  at  work,  the  skin  with  the  fat  adhering  is 
detached  with  amazing  rajjidity  from  the  carcass,  which  is  h^ft 
on  the  ice  still  quivering  with  life,  while  the  fat  and  skin  alone 
are  curried  otf.  This  i)rocoss  is  called  "Bculi)ing,"  a  corru[)tion 
no  doubt  of  scalping.  In  skinning,  a  cut  is  made  through  the 
fat  to  the  flesh,  a  thickness  of  about  three  inches,  from  the 
throiit  to  the  tail.  The  I^'gs,  or  "lliiipers,"  and  also  the  head 
are  then  drawn  from  the  inside,  and  the  skin  is  laid  out  Hat  and 
entire,  with  the  layer  of  fat  adhering  to  it;  and  in  this  state  the 
skin  is  called  the  "pelt,"  or  "sculp."  It  is  generally  about 
three  feet  long  and  two  and  a  half  feet  wide,  and  weighs  from 


258 


NE  y^FO  UNDLAND. 


V', 

11. 

!  I ;  I 


<  ! 


V' 


thirty-five  to  fifty  pounds.  The  hunter  nicks  two  holes  along 
the  edge  of  each  side  of  tiic  skin,  and  then  hiys  thcni  one  over 
the  other,  passing  the  rope  througli  the  nose  of  each  pelt,  and 
then  lacing  it  through  the  side  holes  in  such  a  manner  that, 
when  pulled  tight,  it  draws  them  in  a  compact  bundle.  Fasten- 
ing the  "gaff"  in  this  liundle,  he  puts  the  ro})e  over  his  shoulder 
and  hauls  it  over  the  ice  to  the  shi[).  Five  or  six  pelts  are 
reckoned  a  heavy  load  to  drag  over  rough  or  brokcm  ice,  some- 
times for  one  or  two  miles.  If  the  ice  is  loose  and  open  the 
hunter  has  to  leap  from  pan  to  i)an. 

Fancy  two  or  three  hundred  men  on  a  field  of  ice  carryiuL' 
on  this  nuu'derous  work,  their  persons  smeared  with  sanguinary 
evidence  of  the  wholesale  slauirhtei  ;  the  ice  stained  whh  jrore 
and  covered  with  the  skinless  carcasses  of  the  slain  ;  "  the  shiver- 
ing seals'  low  moans"  filling  the  air  like  the  sohhiuirs  of  infants 
in  distress;  the  nmrderers  every  minute  smiting  fresh  victims, 
or  dragging  th<'  oleaginous  j)rizes  to  the  vessel's  side  !  Then 
what  a  pictuie  the  vessel  })resents  as  the  pelts  are  i)eing  })ilc(l 
on  deck  to  cool  ])revious  to  stowage  below  !  One  after  another 
the  liunters  arrvive  with  their  loads,  and  snatch  a  hasty 
nioment  to  drink  a  bowl  of  tea  and  eat  a  piece  of  biscuit  and 
butter.  The  poor  mother  seals,  now  cul)less,  are  seen  popping 
their  heads  up  in  the  small  lakes  of  water  and  holes  among  the 
ice,  anxiously  looking  for  their  young. 

So  soon  as  the  sailing-vessel  reaches  port  with  her  fat  cargo, 
the  skinners  go  to  work  and  separate  the  skins  and  fat.  The 
former  are  at  once  salted  and  stored  for  export  to  England,  to 
be  converted  into  boots  and  shoes,  harness,  portmanteaus,  etc. 
The  old  method  of  manufacturing  vhc  fat  was  to  throw  it  into 
huge  wooden  vats,  in  which  the  pressure  of  its  own  weight  nnd 
the  heat  of  the  sun  extracted  the  oil,  which  was  drawn  otf  and 
barrelh'd  for  exportation.  This  was  a  tedious  process.  Tjjit- 
terly  steam  has  been  em[)loyed  to  (juicken  the  extraction  of  the 
oil.  l\y  means  of  steam-driven  niacliinery,  i\w  fat  is  now 
ra})idly  cut  uj),  by  revolving  knives,  into  minute  pieces,  then 
••round  liner  in  a  sort  of  giyantic  sausajr^'-machine  ;  jii'terwards 
steamed  in  a  tank,  which  rai)i(lly  (extracts  the  oil ;  and  Hnaliy, 
befon^  being  ))arrelled,  it  is  exposed  for  a  time  in  glass-covered 


.•8l! 


5 

O 


4 ' ', 

J 

,i 


;'  t. 


II .'    ) 


ii"    ' 


l\v 


ir    .. 


;!!f^il;  -I 


Ul  u 


*l 


w 


THE  SEAL  INDUSTRY. 


tanks  fo  the  action  J^i^ZlZ — - 

of  manufacturing  wj'ich  f '        T^""'     ^^U^  process  the  w    , 

pjotc.  in .  ^.s,ry::r^     ^i-^^  r 

.        ^i^«a.greeab]o   smell   of    tJ,o    'm'  '"^  *^^^  ^^^^^^^  Process 

of  tho  finer  kinds  of  .„apf     ''  '^  '*'^<'  "^"^  in  the  manu&^tulJe 


r-.     1 


260 


NE  WT  0  UNDLA  ND. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

NATURAL    HISTORY    OF    THE    SEAL. 

Motlicrs  and  cubs  —  Miitornal  instinct  —  Toacliinij  the  youiiif  to  swim  —  The  liood 
seal  and  the  liarp  —  Tlie  "dot?"  seal  umlrr  attack —  Mii^rations  of  the  harjis 
and  hoods — Localities  wliere  Ihry  are  found  —  On  the  nuirch  —  Danixcr  of 
extermination  —  Statistics  of  the  take  of  seals  since  1800 


!■     y 


I;::.*'    i 


''^.■ii!■nji 


1  '       '■ 


\^  '.■ 


The  mateniiil  instinct  appears  to  ho  poouliarly  stronir  in  the 
female  seal,  and  the  tenderness  with  ■which  the  mothers  watch 
over  their  ollspring  is  most  toiichini;.  When  tiie  yoimu'  seals 
are  cradled  on  the  iec  the  mothers  remain  in  the  neijihhorhood, 
<roinG:  off  each  morniiiir  to  lish,  and  retiirnin2'  at  intervids  toirive 
them  suck.  It  is  an  extraordinary  fact  that  the  old  seals  nian- 
aije  to  keep  holes  in  the  ice  open,  and  to  ))revent  them  free/ini>; 
over  in  order  that  tlu-y  may  reach  the  water.  On  retiu'ninu-  from 
a  tishinijf  excursion,  extendiuij;'  over  tifty  or  a  lumdred  miles,  each 
mother  seal  mana<>es  to  tind  the  hole  by  which  she  took  her 
departures  tind  to  discover  her  own  snow-white  eul>,  which  she 
proceeds  to  fondle  and  suckle.  This  is  certainly  one  of  the 
most  remarkid)le  achievements  of  animal  instinct.  The  youuij; 
"white-coats  "  an^  scattered  in  myriads  over  the  ice-field.  I)ur- 
\\vx  the  absence  of  the  mothers  the  field  of  ice  has  shifted  ils 
position,  jH'ihaps  many  miles,  beinir  borne  on  the  current. 
Yet  each  molher-seal  is  tdtle  lo  find  her  own  hole,  and  lo  pick  out 
h.er  own  cid),  from  the  immense  herd,  with  imerrinu'  accuracy. 
It  is  (|uite  touchiiiii;  to  witness  their  siujns  of  distress  and  irrief 
when  they  retiu'n  and  find  only  a  pool  of  blood  and  a  skinless 
carcass,  instead  of  their  whimpcrini^  little  ones. 

The  seal  brinii's  forth  but  one  cub  at  a  birth,  and  that  but 
onc(^  a  vear.  When  born  the  voun«j  are  covered  \>ith  a  thick 
whitish  fiu".  At  six  weeks  old  they  Ix'uin  to  "dip,"  or  take  to 
the  water ;  juid  it  re(]uircs  as  many  trials  to  enable  u  youn^  weal 


NATURAL   mSTORl'  OF   THE  SEAL. 


261 


(MU 
K'h 

hor 
slu' 
the 
)unji 
)ur- 

\   il8 

cut. 
out 
icy. 
Lirict" 
uU'ss 

Init 
lliioU 
ke  to 


to  swim  properly,  as  in  the  ease  of  a  younir  hird  h'arnin_<>;  to  fly. 
Just  as  the  eaiile  "stirs  up  her  youuir,"  and  eneourai»es  iheni  to 
use  their  winiis,  so  it  is  said  the  mother  seals  tumlde  their  haliies 
into  the  water,  and  jrivc  them  swimmiuir-lessons.  When  they 
are  in  daui>'er  i'rom  "  rat'tiu*;"'  iee,  or  tVairments  of  iloes  dashed 
ahout  by  the  wind,  and  likely  to  crush  them,  the  self-sacriHciuji' 
adeetiou  of  the  mothers  leads  them  to  brave  all  dantrers,  and 
they  arc  seen  heli)inii:  their  youuff  to  places  of  safety  in  the  un- 
hrokeii  ice,  sometimes  clasj)in<r  them  in  their  fore-tlijjpers  an<l 
swinnninj;  with  them,  or  pushing  them  forward  with  their  noses. 

At  the  end  of  six  weeks  the  yomig  shed  their  white  woolly 
r()l)c,  which  has  a  yellowish  or  golden  lustre,  and  a  smooth 
spotted  skin  ai)pears,  having  a  rough  darkish  fur.  They  have 
now  ceased  to  be  "white-coats,"  and  become  "rairi^ed-jackets." 
The  milk  on  which  they  are  sustained  is  of  a  thick  creamy  con- 
sistency, yellowish  in  color,  and  very  rich  and  nutritious. 
AVhile  the  mothers  are  thus  guardini;  and  sucklin<r  their  young 
the  males  take  the  opportunity  of  enjo3'ing  themselves,  and  arc 
seen  s[)orting  about  in  the  open  pools  of  water.  The  old  male 
harps  ai)pear  to  be  indifferent  about  their  young.  The  male  hood 
seal,  on  the  other  hand,  assists  his  mate  in  her  maternal  guar- 
dianship, and  will  tight  courageously  in  defence  of  her  and  the 
young. 

In  tlje  seas  around  Newfoundland  and  Labrador  there  are 
four  species  of  seals  —  the  bay  seal,  the  harp,  the  hood,  and  the 
s(|uare  flipper.  The  bay  seal  is  local  in  its  habits,  does  not 
migrate,  but  frequents  the  mouths  of  rivers  and  harbors  around 
the  coast,  and  is  never  found  on  the  ice.  It  is  fre(|uently  taken 
in  nets,  but  connnercially  is  of  small  importance,  'i'he  harp 
seal — par  exceUencc  \\w  seal  of  eonnneree  —  is  so  called  from 
having  a  broad  curved  liiu;  of  connected  dark  spots  proceeding 
from  each  shoulder,  and  meeting  on  the  back  above  the  tail, 
and  forming  a  figure  something  like  an  ancient  harp.  The  old 
harp  seals  alone  have  this  figuring,  and  not  till  their  second 
year.  "When  twelve  months  old  the  males  ai-e  hardly  distin- 
guishal)le  from  the  females,  and  during  that  season  they  arc 
called  "  bedlamers."  Ill  the  second  season  the  male  assumes 
his  harp. 


1 1 


2(52 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


I  .'  I 


I  ■'!' 


*<■■ 


■  :)': 


The  hood  seal  is  much  larger  than  the  liarp.  The  male,  called 
by  the  hunters  "the  dog-hood,"  is  distinguished  from  tlie  female 
by  a  singular  hood  or  bag  of  flesh  on  his  nose.  Wlien  attaelved 
or  alarmed  he  inflates  this  hood,  so  as  to  cover  the  face  and 
eyes  ;  and  it  is  strong  enough  to  resist  fcal  shot.  It  is  impossi- 
ble to  kill  one  of  these  creatures  when  his  sensitive  nose  is  thus 
protected,  even  with  a  sealing-gun,  so  long  as  his  head  or  his 
tail  is  towards  you;  and  the  only  way  is  by  shooting  him  on 
the  side  of  the  head,  and  a  little  behind  it,  so  as  to  strike  him 
in  the  neck  or  the  base  of  the  skull.  The  young  of  this  species 
have  not  the  thick  woolly  coat  of  the  harp  seals,  and  from  their 
color  they  are  called"  blue-backs."  The  hoods  bring  forth  their 
young  two  or  three  weeks  later  than  the  hari)s,  and  are  gener- 
ally found  farther  from  the  shore  on  the  ice-fields,  and  also  more 
to  the  north.  The  two  si)ecies  live  apart,  and  are  never  found 
mingled,  unless  by  some  accidental  convulsion  of  the  ice.  The 
male  and  female  of  the  hood  are  usually  found  together,  and  it 
is  a  rule  among  the  hunters  to  kill  the  male  first;  and  if  the}' 
fail  in  this,  and  kill  the  female,  the  dog  becomes  furious,  inflates 
his  hood,  whiU^  his  lostrils  dilate  into  two  huije  bladders.  His 
appearance  now  is  terrific,  and  Avith  uncouth  floundering  leajis 
he  rushes  on  his  foe  with  tremendous  fury.  Instances  have 
occurred  where  a  fight  between  an  old  dog-hood  and  five  or 
six  men  has  lasted  for  an  hour  ;  and  sometimes  a  hunter,  is  fear- 
fully torn  and  even  killed  in  the  encounter  ;  this,  of  course,  only 
happening  when  the  space  is  limited  in  which  to  fight  this  creat- 
ure, as  on  a  single  pan  of  ice.  They  have  been  known  to  seize 
the  handspikes  with  which  the  hunters  Avere  beating  them,  and 
wrench  them  from  their  strong  ijrasp  with  a  jriant  strenirth. 
It  is  related  that  on  one  occasion  two  hunters  attacked  a  pair  of 

lied  the  female.     The  doir  immedi- 


nni)ri 


iiy 


ately  inflated  his  hood,  and  rushed  at  them  furiously.  They 
fought  him  with  their  gafl's  till  nearly  exhausted,  and  a  terril)le 
death  threatened  both.  As  a  last  desj)erate  resource  one  of  them 
resolved  to  dash  in  upon  the  infuriated  brute,  while  the  other 
stood  ready  for  the  emergency.  Drawing  his  jack-knife,  the 
hunter  rushed  on  the  dog,  and  stuck  it  by  a  well-planted  blow 
into  the  inflated  hood.     Instantly  the  air   esca[)ed,  the  shield 


NATURAL    IIISTORV  OF  Till-:  SEAL. 


2(13 


)le 
cm 

icr 
the 
low 
iekl 


wjis  rcnd'Tod  usoloss,  and  a  blow  or  two  on  the  nose  from  the 
jXiid'of  tlu!  other  despati-hcd  him. 

Th<'  s(|Miire  flipper  seal  is  the  fourth  kind,  and  is  believed  to 
be  identical  with  the  <xvoai  Clreenland  seal.  It  is  from  twelve* 
to  sixteen  feet  in  Icniith.  It  is  occasionally  taken  on  the  ice  off 
the  Newtbundland  coast ,  ^'•(Micrally  on  the  eastern  edue  of  the 
fields,  but  so  few  are  obtained  that  it  has  no  commercial  impor- 
tance, liy  far  the  lar<xest  "catch"  is  made  am()n<j:  the  young 
harps,  though  some  seasons  great  numbers  of  young  lioods  are 
also  taken. 

]\Iiu'h  difference  of  opinion  prevails  regarding  the  migrations 
of  the  harps  and  hoods;  for  that  they  have  regular  migratory 
movements  cannot  be  doubted.  They  are  found  on  the  ice 
from  the  middle  of  February  till  May.  Then  they  commence 
their  northerly  movenuuit,  in  company  with  their  young. 
Crantz,  in  his  "History  of  Crreenland,"  nuMitions  their  arrival 
in  June  on  that  coast  in  enormous  herds  from  the  south, 
attended  by  their  young.  In  the  Greenland  seas  they  appear 
to  si)end  two  or  three  months,  and  as  the  early  winter  sets  in 
with  September  they  begin  their  southern  migration,  keeping 
ahead  of  the  ice  as  it  forms,  and  moving  towards  the  coast  of 
La])rador,  feeding  in  its  fiords  and  bays  as  they  move.  Small 
detachments  seem  to  lead  the  way,  like  pioneers.  Behind  them 
moves  the  great  army  in  one  vast  contimu)us  mass.  It  occupies 
days  in  passing  certain  ])oints,  and  ajjpears  to  fill  the  sea  as  far 
as  the  eye  can  reach.  This  great  army  on  its  march  may  well 
im})ross  the  beholder  with  an  idea  of  the  vast  number  of  seals, 
on  whose  ranks  the  hunters  have  for  more  than  eighty  years 
been  making  systematic  onslaughts  without  any  a[)i)arent  reduc- 
tion of  the  sui)ply.  Having  reached  the  Straits  of  liclle  Isle, 
separating  Newfoundland  from  Labrador,  one  division  enters 
the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  the  other  moves  along  the  eastern 
shores  of  the  island,  feeding  in  the  bays  and  inlets,  but  still 
rapidly  moving  south,  till  about  the  close  of  the  year,  when  the 
(ireat  Iianks  are  reached.  This  is  their  southern  head-quarters, 
as  the  (ireenland  Sea  is  their  northeiMi.  Th'!  Banks  are  ever 
swarming  with  fish,  and  on  these  the  seals  feast  till  the  end  of 
Februar}',  when  the   northern  migration   to  meet  the  ice,  on 


264 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


;   - 1 

!l    'i 


i! 


(  ■■  r 


i   ■      ■■^ 

i 


M    ,| 


llliiJ!:,| 


which  thoir  yoiuiir  are  to  ])o  brouirht  forth  unci  cradled,  begins. 
By  the  15th  or  2()tU  of  Fcl)ruary  they  have  encountered  the 
great  ice-arirosies  descending  on  the  Arctic  currents,  and  there 
the  young  arc  prochiccd. 

Some  ai)prehension  is  felt  lest  the  employment  of  steamers 
should  ultimately  destroy  the  seal-fi>hery,  or  so  reduce  the 
numbers  of  the  seals  as  to  render  the  adventure  unrenmnera- 
tivc. 

On  the  other  side  it  may  be  argued  that  the  "  catch  "  of  seals 
is  not  greater  now  than  before  the  employment  of  steamers. 
For  more  than  sixty  years  the  seals  that  frequent  these  coasts 
stood  an  annual  draft  of  from  a  <];uarter  to  half  a  n)illi()n 
without  showing  any  sensible  diminution  of  numbers  or  symp- 
toms of  exhaustion.  The  draft  is  not  greater  since  the  int'-o- 
duction  of  steamers.  AVhy,  then,  should  any  apprehensions  be 
entertained?  The  real  danger  lies  in  the  lU'actice,  which  has 
greatly  increased  since  steamers  have  been  used,  of  making  two 
and  even  three  trips  to  the  ice-ticlds,  the  second  and  third  being 
in  pursuit  of  the  old  breeding  seals,  which  are  sometimes 
slaughtered  in  large  numl)ers,  after  the  heavy  draft  on  the 
young.  To  destroy  the  mature  breeding  seals  in  this  way  is 
greatly  to  be  deprecated,  and  is  certainly  "  killing  the  goose 
that  lays  the  golden  egg."  If  continued,  it  will  in  all  proba- 
bility seriously  diminish  the  number  of  seals,  and  i  'he  end 
may  lead  to  an  extermination  of  the  species.  Ere  Icng,  it  may 
be  hoped,  a  law  will  be  passed  prohibiting  the  destruction  of 
old  seals.  Were  this  done,  the  tishery  might  be  preserved  for 
an  indefinite  period.  At  a  time  when  all  other  northern  coun- 
tries are  idle  and  locked  in  icy  fetters,  here  is  an  industry  that 
can  be  plied  by  the  fishermen  of  Newfoundland,  and  by  whicii, 
in  a  couple  of  months,  a  million  (and  at  times  even  a  million 
and  a  half)  of  dollars  are  won.  It  is  over  early  in  INIay,  so 
that  it  does  not  interfere  with  the  sunmier  cod-fishery  nor  with 
the  cultivation  of  the  soil.  This,  of  course,  greatly  enhancea 
its  value. 


NATURAL   JIISTORY  OF  THE  SEAL. 


2G5 


Table  showing  the  Xu.MnER  of  Seals  taken  in  thi-: 

Yeaus  named. 


Year. 

1805 
1810 
1815 
1817 
1818 
1819 
1820 
1821 
1822 
1823 
1824 
1825 
1826 
1829 
1830 
1831 
1832 
1833 
1835 
1836 
1837 
1838 
1839 
1840 
1841 
1842 
1843 
1844 
1845 


No.  of  Seals, 

81,088 
118,080 
126,315 

49,048 
145,072 
280,817 
213,679 
227,193 
306,9X2 
230,410 
202,091 
295,352 
292,007 
357,523 
558,i»42 
6,S6,836 
508,407 
360,155 


384,321 
351,620 

375,361 
437,501 
631,3.S5 
417,115 
344,683 
651,370 
685,530 
352,702 


Yiar. 

1846 

1847 
1848 
1S49 
1850 
1851 
1S52 
1853 
1854 
1855 
1N56 
1.S57 
1S58 
1859 
1860 
1861 
1862 
1869 
1871 
1872 
1874 
1876 
1877 
1878 
1879 
1880 
1881 
1882 


No.  of  Seals. 

265,169 
436,831 
521,604 
306,072 
442,392 
511,630 
534,378 
521,780 
39.S,873 
293,083 
361,317 
496,113 
507,624 
329,125 
444,202 
375,282 
268,426 
359,821 
537,094 
278,372 
398,366 
500,000 
451,678 
409,658 
457,855 
223,793 
447,903 
200,500 


I 


i-^'4 


r     I 


'!;:■ 


266 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


i'lr: 


1: 

\  i 

t: '■ 

!  ,     ;i 


chapti:r  v. 

SALMON. 

Occasional  abundaiipc  of  fish  at  St.  Jolin's  —  Want  of  efficient  regulations  for 
proti'otinff  the  fisheries  —  ('oniinander  Knowlos  reconiinends  active  measures 
on  the  part  of  the  government  —  The  law  of  the  salmon  —  Sugjjestions  for 
im])r()ving  the  fisheries  —  Local  Ir.'.vs  and  proclamations  —  Otlser  "  game 
fish." 

The  export  of  preserved  salmon  from  Newfoundland  docs  not 
constitute  a  lar<;e  or  important  it(!m.  The  averaj^e  value  of  the 
picivlcd  and  fresh  salmon  exi)ortcd  during  the  last  ten  years  has 
been  about  $106,000  })er  amunn.  The  cliief  mode  of  curing  the 
salmon,  until  very  recently,  was  salting;  and  the  catch  has  not 
varied  greatly  for  many  years,  though  of  hite  there  has  been  a 
tendency  to  increase.  In  1842  the  export  was  4,715  tierces ; 
in  186S),  7,0;]J);  in  1871,  a,i)77;  in  1880,  6,7(')r) ;  in  1881, 
3,689.  Within  the  last  eight  or  nine  years  the  method  of 
TM-'v-erving  it,  alter  being  cookecl,  in  hermetically  sealed  tins, 
aiiv'  also  exporting  it  iVcsli  in  ice  or  in  refrigerators,  has 
been  introdui'cd,  and  has  proved  successful.  Of  tinned  salmon 
34.r),S4  lbs.  were  exi^rted  in  1880,  and  20,000  lbs.  in  1881. 

'I'hc  (|uality  of  the  Xewfoundland  salmon  is  excellent.  The 
'»«  s(  judges  indi'inl  admit  that  no  tiuer  (|uality  is  jn'oduccl  else- 
v.uere.  It  is  captured  for  the  most  part  in  nets,  in  the  eovco, 
l.'ys,  and  at  tlu^  mouths  of  the  rivers.  The  season  for  taking 
s'lhnon  is  brief,  not  exci'cding  six  or  seven  weeks,  and  com- 
meiK  ing  generally  in  th.c  last  week  of  May.  It  is  frecpu'utly  so 
l)len(ii"d  in  St.  .^ohn's  during  this  short  season,  that  it  often 
sells  fo\'  ibur  or  live  ctMits  \)v\'  poimd,  so  that  all  classes  feast 
on  this  delicious  lish.  At  the  same  time  it  is  sellin<>'  in  I^ondon 
and  New  Wn'k  for  one-and-sixpcnc(>  or  two  shillings  sterling  per 
l)oand.  There  are  no  liner  salmon  rivers  than  thot  ;•  of  New- 
foundland.    How  comes  it,  then,  that  this  source  of  wealth  is 


m 


SALMON. 


267 


so  imperfectly  turned  to  account?  AVhy  arc  tlie  ^'ountlcss 
brooks  and  streams  that  fall  into  the  sea,  around  two  thousand 
miles  of  coast,  now  for  the  most  part  valueless? 

The  answer  is  that  the  proper  preservation  of  the  salmon  hns 
been  neglected,  and  human  ignorance  and  the  greed  of 
immediate  gain  have  wasted  and  destroyed  Avhat  might  at  this 
moment  be  a  source  of  national  wealth.  "Barring"  the 
rivers  and  brooks  with  nets  at  the  time  wiien  the  tish  are 
ascending  to  s[)awn ;  constructing  weirs,  traps,  and  dams; 
sweeping  the  pools  Avith  seine  nets  ;  and  night-spearing,  have 
been  carried  on  for  long  periods  by  ignorant  an(^  riH'kless  })er- 
sons,  till,  at  present,  in  many  rivers  the  salmon  are  almost 
exterminated  and  only  grilse  of  four  or  live  pounds  weight  arc 
found  in  the  streams.  In  vain  have  laws  been  passed  prohibit- 
ing these  destructive  practices;  in  such  a  thinly  populated 
counlry  they  could  not  be  eHectually  enforced,  especially  in  the 
more  distant  localities.  The  cajjtains  of  the  men-of-war  engaged 
in  the  jirotection  of  the  fisheries  are  active  iv>  re))ressing  these 
rumous  practices  ;  they  destroy  any  nets  or  weirs  whi<h  tlu/y 
tind  stnitching  {'.cross  tin?  mouthsof  the  rivers  :  !)ut  the  oll'enders 
arc  for  the  most  })art  cuiming  enough  to  takj  up  their  nets  at 
the  apjn'oach  of  thes(^  vessels,  and  no  sooner  are  the  ships  out 
of  sight  than  the  nets  jire  replaced.  Mr.  Murray,  writing  in 
ISTT),  said:  "An  atrocious  system,  originally  introduced  by 
some  greedy  speculators,  has  been  perpiftiiated  by  subordinates 
from  time  to  time,  until  many  rivers  which  formeily  })roduced 
hundreds  of  tierces  of  salmon  and  sea-trout  annuaUy,  are  now 
almost  or  (|uile  destitute  of  either.  Some  years  ago  the  animal 
catch  on  the  Exploits  varied  from  three  to  live  hundrcMl  liei'ccs, 
whih>  that  on  the  (iander  River  ran  from  live  hundred  to  a  thou- 
sand tiei'ces.  Now,  the  annual  catch  on  the  former  I'arely  exceeds 
Iwelvc  lierc(>s,  of  both  Narietic^,  all  told  ;  or  in  \\\v  ( Jandcr,  over 
fourteen  or  lifleen  tierces.  Thus,  whiK'  in  Canada  and  other 
pi-()grcssing  countries,  where  ellorts  are  being  made  not  oidy  to 
conserve  what  there  is,  but  to  propagate  nioi'e  such  tish,  l)y  tlu; 
intHKluclion  .)f  spawn  from  all  parts  of  tiie  world,  Xewfound- 
land,  witu  the  linest  salmon  waters  in  the  woild,  will,  unless 


1 

i 

■1  • 

1 

1 
( 

!':;■ 


J      i 

!   ■'■ 


I, 


!'  • 


'    I 


li; 


(.,    i 


2G8 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


some  strinqont  mean;?  are  taken  for  their  protection,  in  a  few 
years  he  left  without  a  fish." 

Connnander  Knowles,  "who  was  engaged  in  the  protection  of 
the  fisheries  in  1878,  says  :  "  I  cannot  conclude  my  report 
without  again  referring  to  the  state  of  the  sahnon-tishery  on  this 
coast,  hoth  in  the  rivers  and  In  the  bays  and  creeks  of  the  Island, 
which  through  the  cui)ldlty,  selfishness,  and  1  may  add  igno- 
rance, on  the  part  of  the  tishermcn,  is  slowly,  l)ut  very  surely, 
hecoming  exterminated.  In  the  bays,  fleets  of  nets  are  some- 
times laid  d')wn,  sometimes  twenty  and  forty,  and  even  fifty, 
at  a  time,  and  every  inlet  stopped  ;  and  if  the  fish  should,  by 
any  chance,  be  able  to  escape  the  first  barriers,  the  rivers  are 
so  ol»structed  by  weirs,  traps,  chains,  and  nets,  the  latter  fre- 
quently stretched  right  across,  and  at  close  intervals,  that  it  is  a 
wonder  that  the  fishery  has  not  long  since  come  to  aii  end. 
Some  of  the  river  obstructions  are  generally  removed  before 
the  anticipated  arrival  of  a  man-of-war,  only  to  be  replaced  when 
she  leaves  the  neighborhood :  and  I  would  strongly  recommend 
that  some  active  measures  should  ])e  at  once  taken  b}-^  the  Gov- 
ernment to  stop  this  dei)iorable  state  of  alfairs  before  the  salmon 
fisheries  of  N(!wfouiidland  become  a  thing  o  "  the  past.  " 

It  is  the  law  of  salmon,  as  of  all  fish  life,  that  the  mature 
salmon  return  to  the  })la('e  ot  their  birth  in  order  to  perform 
the  grandest  act  of  their  nature  —  the  peri)etuation  of  the  s})ecics. 
The  "i)rocreant  crad'e"of  the  salmon  is  the  head-waters  of 
some  river  or  brook,  often  many  miles  from  th(>  ocean.  When 
at  from  one  to  two  years  of  ajje,  the  [.;irr,  the  young  of  the  salm- 
on, change  into  smolt,  they  i  vperience  an  irresistible  longing 
to  visit  the  ocean,  and,  ])i-()mpted  by  instinct,  the}'  start  for  the 
far-off  sea,  braving  all  the  dangers  of  the  journey.  Very 
wonderful  it  is  to  find  a  fish  b»)rn  in  the  solitudes  of  some 
mountain  stream,  when  only  two  years  of  age,  drawn  ivTesistihIy 
lo  the  sea,  as  if  fascinated  by  tlu!  nuisic  of  "  many-voiced  "  ocean, 
heard  at  the  distance  of  hundreds  of  miles.  Its  foes  are  nu- 
merous—  the  from  ;::•.!  "oracioiis  piki^  in  the  river,  the  porpoise, 
seal,  coaUish,  and  other  greedy  monsters,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
stream  await  its  coming.  Should  it  escape  these,  the  young 
salmon  finds  in  the  salt-water  the  nutriment  it  has  been  longing 


SALMON. 


269 


few 


for,  and  for  thv'^,  months  it  grows  rapidly.  Then  it  seeks 
once  more  the  pluv^c  (.f  its  birth,  as  if  drawn  hy  honie-h)niriiii;s, 
and  never  maiios  a  mistake,  never  enters  the  wrong  stream,  l)iit 
mierringly  ascends  the  river  it  deseended.  It  is  now  a  <irilKe, 
four  or  live  pounds  weiglit,  but  is  yet  virgin  and  immature, 
and  has  not  come  to  spawn.  After  spending  live  or  six  weelvs 
in  tlio  parent  waters  it  again  seeks  tlio  ocean,  and  niturns  a  full- 
grown  salmon,  from  ten  to  fourteen  pounds  in  weight,  and  \\o\w 
it  comes  to  "repeat  the  story  of  its  birth.  "  It  is  evident,  from 
all  this,  how  inevital)ly  the  closing  of  the  mouth  of  the  rivers 
by  nets  ar  otlu'r  contrivances,  at  the  time  when  the  salmon  are 
ascending  to  spr.wn,  nmst  si)eedily  depoj)uIate  the  waters  of 
"the  monarch  of  the  brook.  "  If  the  spawning  salmon  belong- 
ing to  a  particular  river  are  all,  or  nearly  all,  taken  year  after  year, 
the  tish  are  exterminated.  If,  iis  is  generally  the  case,  a  few 
cscajjc  and  ascend,  they  are  insuflicient  to  sustain  the  stock, 
which  gradually  diminishes  and  tinally  disappears.  This  is  the 
process  which  is  now  unhappily  going  on  in  the  noble  salmon 
rivers  of  Xewfoundland. 

It  is  not  yet  too  late  to  preserve  and  increase  what  is  left,  in 
several  of  the  rivers,  by  proi)er  laws  strictly  enforced  ;  and  of 
course,  by  artificial  means,  it  is  i)ossible  to  re-stock  all  the 
streams.  Were  this  don(>,  the  island  would  become  one  of  the 
finest  salmon-i)roducing  countries  in  the  world ;  ajid,  under 
proper  restrictions,  a  very  considerabU;  rental  might  be  drawn 
by  leasing  the  rivers.  Three  rivers  in  Scotland — tlu^  Tweed, 
the  Tay,  and  k?pey  —  yield  a  "ental  of  £")(), 000  sterling  per 
annum  from  their  salmon  alone.  IIow  nuuh  then  might  Iio 
drawn  from  the  hundreds  of  salmon  streams  falling  into  the 
bays  of  an  island  having  a  coast-line  of  two  thousand  miles  ! 
The  value  of  the  salmon  taken  in  New  IJrunswick  is  estimated 
at  £1(10,000  st(M'ling  per  annum.  At  the  mouth  of  the  St. 
John  Rivi-r,  New  lirunswiek,  40,000  salmon  are  taken  anmially, 
a  large  i)()rtion  of  which  an;  sent  fresh  to  the  Tnited  States, 
and  command  rennmerative  prices.  In  every  case  proper 
])r()tection  is  found  to  increase  the  (luantily  of  salmon  taken. 
I<""r()m  Xewfoundland  a  most  hicralive  busint-ss  in  the  exportation 
of  fresh  salmon  to  England  and  \\w    l/nited  States  might   be 


''  n 


"',  • 


J 


I  ;    I 


270 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


:| 


m  n 


,:',.( 


^^    f 


1 1^' 


I* 


VM 


established,  were  an  end  put  to  the  existing  barbarous  practices 
and  thi!  rivers  re-stocivcd. 

Salmon-fishing  in  the  rivers  of  Newfoundland,  in  the  present 
condition  of  allairs,  cannot  be  recommended.  Only  grilse,  four 
or  tive  pounds  in  weight,  and  sea-trout  are  to  be  found  up  the 
rivers.  A  large  salmon  is  hardly  ever  taken  in  the  river 
waters.  In  his  "Sporting  Notes  in  Newfoundland,"  Captain 
Kennedy,  who  has  had  a  largo  experience,  tells  us  that  "salmon- 
fishing  with  the  fly  is  disappointing  in  Newfoundland,  and  must 
be  so  until  steps  are  taken  to  protect  this  noble  fish.  Notwith- 
standing local  laws  and  proclamations  the  rivers  of  this  country 
are  disgracefully  abused  by  nets  set  across  their  mouths,  and  in 
the  pools,  traps,  weirs,  and  dams,  till  the  wretched  fish  are 
almost  exterminated.  The  result  is  that  all  the  large  breeding: 
fish  are  captured,  and  only  a  few  grilse  escape.  They 
occasionally  rise  to  the  fly,  and  good  sport  may  sometimes  be 
had.  But  the  best  sport  is  with  the  sea-trout,  which  arrive  on 
the  coast  about  the  20th  July,  and  take  the  rivers  in  tliousands. 
Excellent  sport  may  be  ol)tainted  from  these  game  fish,  which 
run  from  one  pound  to  four  pounds  or  even  larger.  Very  heavy 
river  trout  are  also  to  be  caught  in  any  of  the  streams  around 
the  coast." 

At  present  the  chief  salmon  fisheries  are  in  Bonavista  Bay, 
Gander  Bay,  Bay  of  Exploits,  and  White  Bay.  It  is  believed 
by  many  that  the  salmon  taken  in  these  localities  are  not 
indigenous,  but  are  on  their  way  to  their  native  rivers  in  Labra- 
dor or  elsewhere.  In  their  migrations  thoy  follow  the  shores  of 
the  island,  and  are  taken  in  nets  in  fiivorable  places.  If  they 
belonged  to  the  rivers  of  the  island,  it  is  a.'gucd,  some  of  them 
would  make  their  way  up  tins  rivers  occasionally  to  spawn ; 
but  they  are  never  taken  there,  always  in  the  sea.  This 
matter,  however,  must  be  regarded  as  unsettled  at  present,  as 
also  the  question  whence  come  the  grilse  of  four  and  five 
pounds,  wliich  alone  are  taken  in  the  rivers?  More  careful 
investigation  will  be  needed  to  settle  these  points. 


THE  HERRING  AND    OTHER  FISHERIES. 


271 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THE   HERRING  AND   OTHER  FISHERIES. 


Movements  of  the  herring  —  Bait  for  cod  —  Frozon  fish  exi)()rto(l  to  America  — 
The  Labrador  herring  and  the  Shore  herring  —  Chief  seats  of  tiie  fishery  — 
Statistics  of  the  average  catch  —  Exports  and  annual  value  —  Mackerel, 
halibut,  liaddock,  and  lobsters. 

The  Newfoundland  Ilerrinij  Fishery  has  not  received  that 
attention  which  its  value  and  importance  demand.  That  it 
admits  of  indefinite  expansion  no  one  acquainted  with  the 
subject  will  deny.  In  fact,  if  it  were  [)rosecute(l  with  skill  and 
energy,  its  value  need  not  fall  far  ])ehind  the  cod-tishery. 
Aloni^  the  coast  of  Labrador,  in  Bonne  Bay,  and  Bay  of  Islands, 
on  the  Gulf  Coast  of  Newfoundland,  in  Fortune  Bay,  and  many 
other  localities,  herrings  may  be  said  to  swarm  in  coimlless 
millions,  though  not  every  year  to  the  same  extent  or  in  tho 
same  place.  Herring  are  taken  at  various  points  around  the 
island  at  all  seasons  of  the  year.  They  are  capricious  in  their 
movements,  and  will  sometimes  abandon  a  certain  long-fre- 
quented part  of  the  seaboard  for  a  munber  of  years,  and 
return  again  altera  longer  or  shorter  [)erio(l.  Their  moveuKMits 
prove  that  they  ar(^  a  local  or  home  lish,  their  migrations,  like 
those  of  tilt  rod,  being  from  deep  to  shallow  water,  and  rh-e 
verm.  Naturalists  now  regard  as  mythical  those  long  migra- 
tions of  the  herring  to  th<>  i*olar  regions  and  back,  wliii-h  used 
to  J)e  currently  belie\('d. 

Their  movements  are  limited  in  area  on  the  Newfoundland 
coast,  where  they  appear  at  certain  seasons  and  retire  diu'iiig 
tlie  remainder  of  tho  year  into  deeper  waters  Avithin  the  sixty- 
fathom  line  of  soundings.  \'^ast  numbers  of  them  winter  on 
the  ledges  and  banks  of  the  Atlantic  coast;  but,  as  at  \\\\y  of 
Islands  and   Bonne    Bay,  some   schools    return,  after  a    short 


m 
M 


!,' 


Ki  ;■ 


I  >'' 


'  ■     i'     ! 
i.  ■  i 


! 


.272 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


interval,  in  Xovcmbcr,  and  Avinter  in  the  deep-water  liays.  In 
Fortuni^  Bay,  also,  this  is  the  case,  and  tlie  e  an  extensive  winter 
fishery  is  carried  on.  The  schools  wiiich  appear  in  April  and 
early  in  May  spawn  in  those  months,  and  are  comparatively 
valueless  as  articles  of  food,  l)ut  of  irreat  value  as  l)ait  for  cod 
and  other  fishes.  It  is  this  school  from  which  tlu;  fishermen  of 
Newfoundland  obtain  their  earliest  supplies  of  bait,  and  which 
they  sell  as  ])ait  to  the  French  in  enormous  quantities,  at  St. 
Pierre  and  ]\Iiquelon,  for  use  b}-^  their  Bank  fishing-vessels. 
Jjy  the  ai)plication  of  ice  these  early  herrirgs  might  be 
preserved  in  abundance,  as  bait.  During  the  winter  the 
herring  are  taken  in  Fortune  liay  in  gill-nets,  and  are  exported  to 
the  American  markets  in  a  frozen  state.  At  that  season  they 
are  in  excellent  condition.  The  fall  herring  is  the  mavlvetal)lo 
fish ;  and  it  is  then  they  are  taken  on  the  Labrador  coast,  where 
they  appear  early  in  September. 

There  are  two  varieties  of  herring  taken  on  the  shores  of  the 
island,  —  the  Bank  (called  also  the  Labrador)  herring,  and  the 
Shore  herring.  They  are  ])r()bably  the  same  species,  ditfering 
only  in  age,  the  Bank  being  the  full-grown  fish,  and  measuring 
on  an  average  thirteen  and  a  half  inches,  while  the  Shore  is 
eleven  inches  long.  The  herring  does  not  reach  maturity  till 
th(^  third  year,  but  it  spawns  in  its  second  year,  and  at  that 
j)eriod  is  known  as  the  Digby  herring  in  the  Bay  of  Fundy. 
The  Shore  herring  si)awns  in  September  and  October,  and 
comes  on  the  shore  in  April.  The  spawning  time  of  the  Bank 
or  Lal)rador  herring  varies  according  to  locality.  On  the 
Labrador  coast  it  api)ears  to  be  in  the  autunm. 

The  chief  seats  of  the  herring  fishery  are  Fortune  Bay,  St. 
(rcorge's  Bay,  Bay  of  Islands,  Bonne  Bay,  and  the  whole  coast 
of  Laltrador. 

Fortune  liay  is  the  centre  of  productive  winter  herring-fish- 
ery. According  to  the  most  reliable  accounts  the  herring 
strike  the  shore  about  the  tirst  week  in  December,  and  take  up 
their  quarters  in  the  deep  arm  about  the  first  of  January,  where 
theyi  nain  under  the  ice  until  about  the  20th  of  March.  From 
the  latter  date  till  the  20th  of  Api'il  they  are  usually  abundant 
and  f|uite  near  the  shore  ;  they  then  go  into  deej)  water  and 


,(     I 


THE  HERRING  AND   OTHER  FISHERIES. 


27;i 


rcinaiu  there  till  the  5th  or  10th  of  May,  when  they  make  theii 
a[)pearance  in  every  cove  and  harbor  for  the  i)Uii)o><e  of 
!S[)a\vning.  The  .season  lasts  till  the  otii  of  June,  and  is  not 
eoini)letely  over  till  the  1st  of  August,  when  they  retire  into 
deep  waters  to  recui)eratc.  The  (juantity  taken  in  Fortune 
Bay  is  estimated  at  from  25,000  to  t]0,000  barrels  [)er  annum, 
^lueh  of  the  catch  is  sold  as  bait  to  the  French  and  Americans. 

St.  (leorge's  IJay  has  a  sunnner  herring-lislu'ry.  The  herring 
are  thin  and  far  inferior  to  those  in  the  Bay  of  Islands.  They 
are  taken  in  May.  Captain  Brown  in  his  "  Fishery  Report  for 
liS71  "  says:  "The  herring  in  St.  George's  Bay  are  abundant 
and  the  catch  unlimited.  Every  man  takes  as  many  as  he  thinks 
he  can  cure.  This  3'ear  about  oO,000  barrels  are  ready  to  go  to 
Halifax."  The  average  catch  is  estimated  at  20,000  barrels  per 
annum. 

The  r>ay  of  Islands  winter  tishery  is  the  most  valuable  next  to 
that  of  Lal)rador.  The  lish  are  the  Bank  or  Labrador  herring, 
and  of  the  finest  (juality.  They  are  taken  chietiy  in  Ilumbcr 
Sound,  and  even  up  tlu;  Ilumbcr  liiver  to  a  considerable  distance'. 
The  nets  used  are  two  and  three-quarters  and  three  inch  mesh. 
The  lishery  connnences  in  October  and  ends  in  May,  broken 
only  when  the  ice  is  forming   and  breaking  up. 

When  the  Bay  is  frozen  the  herrings  are  taken  in  nets, 
Avliich  are  [)ut  down  in  holes  and  drains  cut  through  the  ice. 
Two  men  will  often  take  from  two  to  eight  barrels  per  day. 
In  liS(i4,  when  the  total  [)opulation  was  only  118  families,  the 
catch  for  the  season  was  30,500  barrels.  "Were  this  si)lendid 
lisliciy  pr()[)erly  worked  it  might  be  increased  tenfold.  In 
l(S(i(S,  50,000  barrels  were  exported  from  the  Bay  of  Islands  ; 
and  in  1S70,  ()0,000, —value  $120,000.  The  herring  arcM-x- 
j)orted  uiainly  to  Canadti  and  the  United  States,  where  they  sell 
for  $1:  or  $5  j)er  barrel.  The  method  of  cure,  though  inii)r<)Ved 
of  late,  is  still  im})erfect.  Bonne  Bay  ha^  a  similar  lisiiery  on  a 
smaller  scale.  On  the  coast  of  Laltrador  is  the  largest  and  most 
valuable  herring-lishery  carried  on  by  Xcwfoundlandisrs.  The 
herring  are  taken  h"r(;  in  September  and  the  early  part  of 
October,  and  are  considered  the  richest,  and  tinest  in  regard  to 
quality.     The  catch  varies  greatly,  but  the  average  does  not 


i 


*:' 


274 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


:'  i 


i;. 


f;* 


Mi 


fall  far  short  of  from  00,000  to  70,000  barrels.  Only  a  portion 
is  exported,  the  local  consiunption  hy  the  fishermen  being 
considerable. 

It  is  ditiicult  to  estimate  correctly  the  (piantity  of  herring 
taken  annually  on  the  coasts  of  the  island  and  on  Labrador, 
inasmuch  as  the  exports  show  only  a  portion  of  the  whole,  and  do 
not  exhibit  what  is  sold  as  bait  or  cured  for  home  consumi)tion. 
The  last  census  (taken  in  1874)  gave  the  following  enumeration 
of  the  number  of  barrels  of  herring  taken  in  that  year  :  — 

liarrt'U. 

Herring  cured  in  the  Electoral  districts      .  .         .  75,207 

»*  "on  the  French  shore  (St.  George's  Bay, 

Bay  of  Ishinds,  Bonne  Bay)     .         .  93,825 

"  "on  Labrador 1(5,000 

Total  cured 185,122 

Add  to  the  above  the  numl)er  sold  to  the  French  as 

bait 70,000 

Sold  to  the  Ameriuans      ......  1(),000 

Total  number  of  barrels  of  herring  caught         .         .    271,122 

The  exports  for  the  year  1874  show  that  189,956  barrels  of 
pickled  herring  were  exported,  and  8,300  of  frozen  herring, 
making  a  total  of  198,250,  and  leaving  73,126  barrels  for  home 
consumption. 

The  value  of  the  herring  exported  from  Newfoundland  may 
be  gathered  from  the  following  returns  made  in  the  years 
named :  — 


Year. 

1869  . 
1871  . 
1874  . 

1877  . 

1878  . 

1880  . 

1881  . 


Value  of  iKMiinsj 
,    exporti'd. 

$242,804 
449,838 
578,l(i8 
538,736 
200,296 
229,100 
269,556 


Total  in  seven  years 


$2,508,498 


THE  nERRIXG  AND    OTHER   FISHERIES. 


•275 


This  Avoiild  give  as  the  average  annual  value  of  the  exijoitccl 
herring,  in  those  years,  $358,359.  The  value  of  the  herring 
sold  to  the  French  and  Americans  as  bait  ma}'  be  safely 
estimated  at  not  less  than  $150,000  per  annum.  Allowing 
73,000  1)arrels  for  home  consumption,  at  $3  per  barrel,  the  value 
would  be  $219,000.  AVo  have,  therefore,  us  the  total  value  of 
the  annual  catch  of  herring,  $727,359. 

Professor  Hind  estimates  that  the  aggregate  number  of 
barrels  of  herring  caught  in  the  Dominion  of  Canada  and  New- 
foundland waters  annually  exceeds  800,000  barrels;  and  that, 
allowing  for  the  quantity  used  for  manure,  the  quantity  used 
for  bait  and  destroyed  by  barring,  the  quantity  of  this  ti>h 
drawn  each  year  from  British  American  waters  is  fairly  repre- 
sented by  1,000,000   barrels. 

The  vast  importance,  therefore,  of  this  fishery  is  evident,  not 
only  in  regard  to  its  intrinsic  value,  but  as  one  on  which  other 
fisheries  are  dependent  for  their  very  existence.  In  Newfound- 
land it  m^y  be  described  as  being  yet  in  its  infancy.  There  is 
consi'lerable  improvement  witliin  the  last  few  years  in  the 
process  of  curing,  which,  however,  is  still  rude,  insufBcient,  and 
in  many  instances  so  grossly  careless  that  large  quantities  are 
annually  spoiled  and  fit  only  for  manuring  land. 

Of  other  kinds  of  fish  taken  in  Newfoundland  waters  the 
quantities  are  insignificant.  Fifty  years  ago  mackerel  were 
abun<lant,  but  this  capricious  fish  has  disapi^eared  for  nearly' 
half  a  century.  At  times  high  hopes  of  its  return  arc 
awakened.  Thus,  in  1880,  5,706  barrels  of  pickled  mackerel 
were  exported;  but  in  the  following  year  only  181  barrels 
were  taken.  In  1877  only  fourteen  l)arrels  were  exported  ;  in 
1874,  forty-seven  l)arrels  ;  in  1871,  1,374.  It  is  not  inqjossible 
that  this  valuable  fisli  may  one  day  return  to  its  old  haunts. 
Only  a  few  hundred-weight  of  halibut  and  haddcK'k  are  taken 
in  Newfoundland  waters.  Within  the  last  three  or  four  years 
the  exportation  of  preserved  lobsters  has  increased  rapidly.  At 
various  points  lobster  factories  have  been  established,  and 
appeiir  to  be  multiplying.  In  1881,  1,299,812  pounds  of 
preserved  lobster,  in  tins,  were  exported,  and  40,428  pounds 
of  frozen  lobsters  ;  the  total  value  being  $111,408. 


1  ^ 


I1 


m 

KfV 


m 


m 


II  H 


t 

1 1 


1 '  'i 


27 1) 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE   FISHERIES   AS   AFFECTED  BY  INTERNATIONAL 

TREATIES. 

PrlviloEfos  of  the  French  —  Concurrent  rights  —  Unfounded  claims  —  Sir 
Wiiliuni  Wliiteway's  mission  to  London  —  Settlement  of  the  "French 
Shore"  question  —  Fishery  rights  still  in  dispute  —  Lord  Piilmerston  and 
the  French  Government —  England  and  the  United  States  —  Various  inter- 
pretations of  American  rights —  "  The  Reciprocity  Treaty"  and  the  Treaty 
of  Washington. 

A:mono  Britain's  forty  colonics  the  position  of  Ncwfoinullancl 
is  in  one  respect  unique.  The  sovereignty  of  the  entire  terri- 
tory hclongs  exchisively  to  Great  Britain ;  but  the  French  have 
the  right  of  fishinix  along  more  than  half  the  entire  shore  of  the 
island,  and  of  using  that  portion  of  the  coast  for  such  purposes 
as  may  be  necessary  in  the  prosecution  of  their  fishery.  In 
addition  to  this  important  privilege  the  French  have  ceded  to 
them  possession  of  the  two  small  islands  of  St.  Pierre  and 
Micjuelon,  at  the  entrance  of  Fortune  Bay,  as  a  shelter  for  their 
fishermen,  the  only  condition  attached  to  the  possession  of  them 
being  that  no  fortifications  are  to  bo  erected,  and  only  such 
buildings  as  are  necessary  in  carrying  on  the  fishery.  These 
rights  have  ))een  secured  to  France,  first  by  the  Treaty  of 
Utrecht  in  1713,  confirmed  and  modified  by  that  of  Paris  in 
170,'),  by  that  of  Versailles  in  1783,  and  by  the  Definitive 
Treaty  of  Peace,  Art.  XIII.,  in  1814.  The  line  of  coast  to 
which  these  claims  apply  extends  from  Cape  Ray,  at  the  south- 
western extremity  of  the  island,  around  the  western,  northern, 
and  north-eastern  shores,  to  Cape  St.  John,  being  fully  half 
the  entire  coast  of  the  island,  and  that  by  far  the  most  fertile 
and  valuable  portion. 

How  this  unfortunate  concession  was  originally  made  to 
France  by  British  statesmen  must  be  left  to  the  pen  of  some 


FISnERIES  AFFECTED  BY  TREATIES. 


•In 


future  historian  to  describe.  To  the  coU)ny  of  Newfoundland 
it  proved  to  be  most  injurious,  and  retarded  its  prosperity  more 
than  all  other  causes  coniljined.  The  practical  etU^ct  has  been  to 
exclude  the  people  from  the  use  of  the  l)est  half  of  the  coast, 
whether  for  tishing  puri)oses  or  agricultural  scltlements.  It  is 
true  the  French  have  no  territorial  rights,  and  are  prohibited 
from  forming  any  permanent  sdtlements,  or  any  erections 
excepting  such  as  are  required  for  fishery  purposes  during  the 
season.  It  is  also  true  that  their  right  of  tishing  along  the  line 
of  coast  is  not  exclusive  but  concurrent ;  and  that,  notwithstand- 
ing the  persistent  and  repeated  attempts  of  the  French  so  to 
interpret  the  treaties  as  to  establish  an  exclusive  right  to  the 
tisheries,  such  claim  has  never  been  recognized  by  England,  and 
has  been  repeatedly  and  most  emi)hatically  repudiated  by  the 
colony  itself.  Still  the  French  have  exercised  their  rights  with 
such  stringency  within  the  defined  limits,  and  have  shown  such 
jealousy  regarding  them,  that  they  have  succeeded  in  practically 
preventing  Newfoundland  fishermen  from  using  the  concurrent 
right,  which  they  justly  claim,  by  fishing  v/ithin  the  French 
bounds.  Moreover,  while  England  has  never  expressly  pro- 
hibited her  subjects  from  fishing  along  with  the  French  within 
their  limits,  yd  dreading,  no  doul)t,  the  results  of  quarrels 
arising  between  the  fishermen  of  the  two  nations  when  prosecut- 
inii;  their  calling  in  the  same  waters,  she  has  discourawd  the 
exercise  of  the  concurrent  right,  W'hile  still  recognizing  its 
existence. 

The  policy  of  successive  imperial  Governments  has  been  to 
discountenance  any  attempts  to  fish  along  that  portion  of  the 
shore  on  which  the  French  have  treaty  rights.  The  con- 
sequence has  been  that  the  concurrent  right  has  fallen  into 
abeyance,  and  that  for  fishing  purposes  that  portion  of  the 
coast  has  been  closed  against  the  peoph;  to  whom  the  soil  of 
the  island  belongs.  And  this  is  not  all.  The  French  have  not 
only  claimed  and  tried  to  enforce  an  exclusive  right  to  the 
fishery,  but  they  have  preferred  more  extravagant  claims  to 
prevent  the  inhabitants  of  Newfoundland  from  occupying  the 
land  within  the  limits  defined  by  the  treaties,  whether  for 
agricultural,  mining,  or  other  purposes;    thus  virtually  exer- 


m 


''  ti 


ii  il 

:! 

! 
i         I 

III 


l'-.» 


\t'      I' 


278 


JVr  WFO  UNDLAND. 


liiU 


cising  sovereignty  over  half  the  ishiud.  It  is  true  they  did 
not  i)r(!tend  to  u  right  of  occupying  the  huul  thcniselvos,  ('xcoi)t 
for  ti-shery  purposes,  but  they  i)urf^ucd,  only  too  successfully, 
the  "dog  in  the  manger"  policy  of  i)reventing  any  one  else 
from  doinuj  so.  Thev  i)referred  this  claim  on  the  ground  that 
the  occupation  of  the  land  by  the  people  of  the  island  would 
be  an  infringement  of  their  tishery  privileges.  Here  again  the 
imperial  authorities  Intlicted  a  cruel  wrong  upon  the  colony 
b}'  temporizing  with  these  unfounded  claims,  and  refusing  to 
permit  the  local  government  to  issue  land  grants  in  the 
dis})ut'Hl  district,  while  at  the  same  time  they  repudiated  the 
Frcjnch  claims  and  declared  the  sovereignty  of  the  territory  to 
be  vested  solely  in  England.  At  length,  in  ISOl),  a  dcs})atcli 
from  Lord  Carnarvon  positively  prohibited  the  issue  of  grants 
of  land  on  that  part  of  the  island  called  the  "French  Shore." 
Meantime  a  numerous  population  had,  in  spite  of  all  difficulties 
and  prohibitions,  settled  on  this  shore.  They  were  in  the 
position  of  squatters,  hiving  no  title  to  their  property,  and 
were  left  without  the  ;>uardianship  of  law,  or  any  of  tlie 
ordinary  appliances  of  civilization.  Their  numbers  at  length 
reached  from  eight  to  ten  thousand,  and  their  condition  became 
a  source  of  great  anxiety  to  the  local  Government.  Both 
branches  of  tlu?  local  lei^islature,  first  in  1807,  and  again  in 
1874,  memorialized  the  Home  Government,  and  emphatically 
protested  against  the  restriction  on  issuing  land  grants,  and 
pra3Mng  for  permission  to  make  such  grants  for  agricultural, 
mining,  and  other  purjjoses.  All  efforts  proved  fruitless  till 
1881,  when  Sir  William  Whiteway,  premier  of  the  Government, 
was  despatched  as  a  deputy  to  London.  Ilis  powerful  rep- 
resentation of  the  flagrant  injustice  inflicted  on  the  colony, 
and  of  the  serious  dangers  of  any  longer  delaying  a 
settlement  of  the  vexed  question,  at  length  prevailed. 
The  imperial  authorities  decided  on  withdrawing  the  restric- 
tion on  the  issue  of  land  grants,  and  permitting  the  local 
Government  to  exercise  territorial  rights  by  making  grants 
of  land  for  agricultural,  mining,  or  other  purposes.  This  was 
welcomed  by  the  colony,  which  had  patiently  borne  the  wrong 
so  long  in  order  that  it  might  be  peacefully  settled,  as  a  great 


iii  ■; 


FISHERIES  AFFECTED  BY  TREATIES. 


279 


and  iniportiiiit  boon,  inasmuch  as  it  permitted  tlu?  .sottlomont  of 
this  roj^iou  and  tlio  utilization  of  its  luie  natural  resources.  At 
th(^  same  tinu^  the  ini|)erial  authorities  sanctioned  an  Act 
providiiii^  for  th(!  rej)rescntation  of  tlic  residents  of  this  re^j^iou 
in  the  local  parliament.  Magistrates  liave  l)(!en  appointed,  and 
diu!  arrangements  made  for  tlu;  administration  of  justice.  Thus 
one  great  branch  of  the  "French  Shore  (piestion"  has  been 
satisfactorily  disposed  of.  'J'here  now  remains  the  question  of 
concurrent  or  exclusive  right  to  tiie  tisherles  to  be  decided. 
The  whole  region  is  now  an  integral  part  of  Xewfoundland, 
and  the  government  ans  em[)owered  to  exercise  territorial 
jurisdiction  over  the  whole,  subject,  of  course,  to  existing 
treaty  rights.  The  boon  granted  in  iM'Sl  might  as  well  have 
been  conceded  lifty  3'ears  befon;,  as  the  same  reasons  for  the 
concession  existed  at  tlie   earlier  date. 

The  people  of  Xewfoundlantl  maintain  that  the  French  claim 
to  the  exclusive  right  of  tishery  is  not  warranted  l)y  the  terms 
of  the  treaties  ;  and  they  claim  as  their  right  that  they  shall 
not  be  molested  in  lishing  on  any  part  where  they  do  not 
actually  interrupt  the  French  l)y  their  competition,  and  that 
there  shall  be  no  interference  with  their  buildings  or  enclosures 
which  do  not  actually  interfere  with  the  fishing  privileges  of 
the  French.  They  are  willing  that  a  joint  Naval  Commission 
should  be  appointed  to  settle  all  dis[)uted  points,  when  the 
concurrent  right  is  admitted  I>y  the  French.  Such  is  the 
position  of  the  colony  on  this  imi)ortant  (juestion.  There 
ought  to  be  no  great  difPicuU}'  in  settling  it,  as  the  valu(»  of  the 
shores  of  Newfoundland  to  the  French,  as  fishing  stations,  is 
every  year  becoming  less.  It  is  the  liank  fishery  which  is  the 
main  consideration  with  the  French.  On  the  shores  of  New- 
foundland the  animal  catch  of  the  French  does  not  exceed  a 
huudi'cd  thousand  (juintals.  The  French,  however,  still  main- 
tain that  the  proper  inter[)retation  of  flu;  treaties  gives  them  an 
exclusive  right  to  the  fisheries,  and  the  Uritish  as  emi)halically 
repudiate  siu-h  claims.  Negotiations  between  the  two  nations 
on  these  disputed  points  are  now  in  progress. 

In  regard  to  the  justice  of  the  claim  i)ut  forward  by  the  col- 
ony to  a  concurrent  right  to  the  fisheries,  it  was  never  better 


I: 


{•'•; 


K,t 


2S0 


NE  WFO  TTNDLA  ND. 


expressed  than  in  Lord  Palmerston's  nolo  of  July  10,  l.S.'^S, 
in  reply  to  Count  Sehastiani's  comniunie.ition,  in  wiiieh  he  urired 
the  liritish  Governinenl  to  disavow  the  <  l.iim  of  the  liritish 
suhjeel.-i  to  a  riuht  of  fishery  on  the  eoasts  in  (juestion,  coneur- 
rent  wilh  the  rights  of  tiie  su])jeets  of  Franeo.  After  \  seareh- 
inii'  I'cview  of  the  treaties  hearing  upon  the  suhjeet,  and  the 
eoiisti'uetion  plaeed  ui)()n  them  previously,  Lord  Puhners<on 
closed  jiis  note  in  the  follcwini;  terms  :  — 


il!    i 


"  It  is  true  that  the  privilege  secured  to  the  fishermen  of 
Fi'ance  hy  the;  Treaty  !md  Declaration  of  178.'),  .i  privilege 
"svhich  consists  in  the  periodical  use  of  a  part  of  the  shori'  of 
Newfoinidland,  for  the  puri)oso  of  drying  their  f:sh,  has  in 
practice  heen  treated  hy  llu  liriiish  Government  as  anexeiusive 
right  during  the  fishing  season,  and  wilhinthc  limits  jn-escrihecl ; 
because^  from  tiu^  naiure  of  the  caso,  it  would  scarcely  he 
possihle  for  Ih-itish  fishermen  to  dry  their  lish  upon  the  same 
parts  of  the  shon;  with  tlie  French  lish.'rnien  without  inte'-'';'ring 
with  the  temi)i)rai-v  estahiishmonts  of  the  French  for  the;  same 
l)urp()se,  and  without  interru{)ting  their  operations.  Ihit  the 
Brilish  (.Jcvernment  has  never  imderstood  the  Declaration  to 
have  had  for  its  ohjects  to  dei)rive  th'  Ihitish  s';]>jeets  of  the 
right  to  ))artici{)at(!  with  the  Fronoh  in  taking  fish  at  sea,  off 
that  sliore,  i)rovided  thoy  did  so  \.ithout  inter!'\ii)tinglhe  French 
cod-lishery  ;  and,  althouuh  in  accordance  with  the  true  s})ii-it  (-f 
the  'I'reaty  and  Declaration  of  1/83,  prohibitory  prcelamations 
have  been  from  1im(>  to  time  issued,  on  occasions  v,hen  il  has 
been  found  that  British  subjects,  Avhil(\  fishing  within  the  limits 
in  (juestion,  hav(^  caused  interruption  to  the  French  fishery,  yet 
in  non(^  of  the  pdldic  documents  of  tlu!  British  Government, — 
neither  in  llu^  Act  of  Parliame'.it  of  1788,  passed  for  tlu^  express 
purpose  of  carrying  th(^  Treaty  of  1788  into  cHect ;  nor  in  any 
sultsc(|ucnt  Act  of  ParliaPi<;nt  relating  to  the  Niiwfoundland  fish- 
ery ;  nor  in  any  of  the  instructions  issued  by  the  Admiralty  and 
the  Colonial  Office;  nor  in  any  procL-unation  whicli  has  come 
under  my  view,  issu<'<l  by  th(^  (Jovenmient  of  Newfoundland, 
or  by  the  British  Admiral  upon  the  station,  —  doesit  appear  that 


FISHERIES  AFFECTED   BY  TREATIES. 


281 


the  right  of  Fronch  subjects  to  mi  exclusive  lifsliery,  cither  of 
codHsli  ov  v)f  fish  geneiully,  is  specitically  recognized. 

"In  !i  Idition  to  the  facts  above  static  I,  I  will  observe  to  Your 
ExcelU  icy,  in  conclusion,  that  i^'  (he  right  concedi'd  to  the 
French  by  the  Declaration  of  ITiS^)  had  been  intended  to  be  ex- 
clusive within  the  prescribed  district,  the  terms  used  for  detin- 
ing  such  right  would  assu''edly  have  been  more  ample  and 
specitic  th.ni  tiicy  are  found  to  be  in  that  docunuMit  ;  for  in  no 
other  similar  instrument  wi'.ich  has  evei*  i-ome  under  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  IJritish  (Jovernment  is  so  important  a  concession  as 
an  exclusive  priviledge  of  this  (lescri[)lion  accorded  in  terms  so 
loose  and  indetinite. 

"(Sign(Ml)  Palmekston. 

"To  His  Excellency  Count  Sebastiaui." 


To  this  conclusive  statement  of  the  British  case  no  elVectivc 
answer  has  been  given,  or  ever  will  be  given.  Assured  of  the 
justice  of  her  claims,  Newfoundland  can  cahnly  await  a  peaceful 
solution  of  this  long-standing  <litliculty.  But  then;  are  limits  to 
human  [)atience.  Again  and  again  has  a  settlement  bi'cn 
promised  and  hoped  for,  and  disai)pointm"nt  followed.  So 
far  back  as  1  .55  Mr.  Kobinson,  in  tiie  House  of  Commons, 
when  introducing  a  motion  on  tlu^  subject,  stated  in  his  speech 
that  "  the  (|uestion  rose  out  of  the  construction  put  upon  a  treaty 
entered  into  between  England  and  France  in  18i;i,  ai;-!  iiioiigh 
so  longaperiod  as  twenty-one  years  had  elapsed,  the  ( Joverninent 
had  given  no  answer  to  the  persons  engaged  in  the  lislicries  as 
to  how  the  treaty  was  to  b(i  <  onstrued.  This  was  very  sirange, 
iuid  iui  would  ask  the  Covernment  how  long  after  twenly-onn 
years  were  British  subjects  to  wait  befoi'i^  they  were  told  w  lietlier 
they  had  a  right  concurrent  with  the  French  of  tishing  on  their 
own  coast.  He  protested  against  any  further  delay  in  adjusting 
this  (|uestion.  'i'lu!  French  had  an  interest  in  having  the 
settlement  of  the  (juestlon  indelinitely  postponed,  because 
whilst  it  was  so  they  arrogated  to  themselves  the  right  of 
intei'rupting  all  others  fishing  on  the  coast.  Franci;  had  no 
other  right  of  tithing  than  that  given  by  tlu^  treaty  of  Utreclit, 
and  that  was  nothing  more  than  a  permissive  right  to  lish." 


-ij-. 


i 


f. 


i  t  ■■ 


11  'f' 

hi  ] 


i''\ 


Si! ; 


I  ■ ,'' 


ly. 


282 


NE  WFO UNDLAND. 


Had  Mr.  Kobinson  been  told  that  fortj^-seven  years  after 
(in  1.S82)  his  speech  the  question  would  be  no  nearer  a  settle- 
ment, to  all  a[)[){'aranee,  than  when  he  protested  auainst  further 
delay,  he  would  doubtless  have  felt  considerably  astonished. 

The  treaties  ])etween  Great  Britian  and  the  United  States, 
bearing  on  ihe  fisheries  in  British  American  Avaters  —  Xew- 
foundland  included  —  have  been  the  subject  of  lengthened  dis- 
putes and  voluminous  dii)lomatic  correspondence;,  and  the  dif- 
fenuice  in  opinion  regarding  their  [)roi)er  construction  has  given 
rise  (o  nnuli  irritation  and  international  jealousy .  The  Treaty  of 
178;),  which  recognized  American  Independence,  in  its  tiiird 
article;  conferred  upon  the  people  of  the  United  States  the  right 
to  take  tish  of  every  kind  on  the  Grand  Bank  and  all  the  other 
Banks  of  Newfoundland,  also  in  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  and 
on  such  part  of  the  coast  of  Newfoundland  as  British  fishermen 
shall  use,  but  not  to  dry  or  cure  the  same  on  that  island,  and 
also  on  the  coast,  bays,  and  creeks  of  all  other  of  Ilis  Britannic 
^Majesty's  diMuinions  in  America  ;  also  liberty  to  dry  and  cure 
iish  in  any  of  the  unsettled  bays,  harl)ors,  and  cr  eks  of  Nova 
Scotia,  Magdalen  Islands,  and  Labrador,  so  long  as  they  re- 
mained unsettled.  The  rights  guaranteed  by  this  article  were 
enjoyed  till  the  War  of  1812,  which  terminated  the  Treaty  of 
178;^.  The  Treaty  of  Ghent  contained  no  reference  to  the 
fisheries,  and  disputes  having  arisen  between  the  fishermen  of  the 
two  nations,  the  Convention  of  1818  was  agreed  on.  Its  first 
article  provided  that:  "Tho  inhal)itants  of  the  United  States 
shall  have  forever,  in  connnon  with  the  subjects  of  His  r)ritannic 
Majesty,  the  lilx^rty  to  take:  iish  of  every  kin<l  on  that  part  of 
the  southern  coast  of  Newfoundland  which  <>xtends  from  Gape 
Kay  to  the  Ramean  Islands  ;  on  the  western  and  northern  coasts 
of  Newfoundland,  from  the  said  Cape  Bay  to  the  (^uirpon 
Islands,  on  the  shores  of  the  Magdalen  Islands"  —  also  on 
Labrador;  also  that:  "The  vVmerican  fishermen  shall  have 
liberty  forever  to  dry  and  cure  fish  in  any  of  the  unsettled  bays, 
harl)ors,  and  creeks  of  the  southern  ])art  of  the  coast  of  New- 
foundland here  above  d(>scribed,  and  of  the  coast  of  Labrador  "  — 
such  right  to  terminate  when  any  portions  become  settled. 
Further,  the  United  States  in  this  article  agreed  to  "renounce 


FISiIERIhS  AFFECTED  DT  TP.EATIES. 


283 


any  liberty  heretofore  enjoyed  or  claimed  by  the  inh'ibitants 
thereof  to  take,  dry,  or  cure  fish  on  or  Avithin  three  marine  miles 
of  any  of  the  coasts,  bays,  creeks,  or  harliors  of  His  r>ritannic 
IMujesty's  dojuinions  in  America,"  and  were  only  to  enter  such 
bays  or  har])ors  for  shelter  or  to  obtain  wood  or  water. 

Fresh  disputes  arose  in  connection  with  this  convention, 
which,  in  1852,  became  rather  serious.  The  chief  point  of 
contdition  was  whether  the  three-miles  limit  Avas  to  be  meas- 
ured from  headland  to  headland  at  the  mouths  of  bays,  so  as  to 
exclude  American  fishermen  from  fishing  in  l)ays,  or  whether, 
f:.>ll()\ving  the  sinuosities  of  the  bays,  it  was  to  bo  measured 
from  their  shores.  The  Americans  strenuously  contended  for 
the  latter  interpretation,  the  British  law-otiicers  sustained  the 
former  interpretation.  To  end  these  disputes  what  is  called 
the  Keciprocity  Tr(>aty  was  agreed  to  in  1854.  iiy  the  terms 
o'i  this  agreement  the  entire  sea  fishery  was  thrown  open  to 
American.--,  as  well  as  certain  rights  to  land  and  cure  their  fish. 
The  Americans  in  turn  gave  British  subjects  reciprocal  privi- 
leii'cs  on  their  eastern  coasts  and  islands  adjacent.  This  treaty 
vas  to  renii.in  in  force  "for  ten  years  from  the  date  at  which  it 
came  into  operation,  and  further  until  the  expiration  of  twelve 
nu)nths  after  each  of  the  Iliuh  Contracting:  Parties  shall  i>ivo 
notice  to  the  other  of  its  wish  to  terminate  the  same."  The 
lieciprocity  Treaty  was  terminated  in  1800,  at  the  instance 
of  the  American  Government.  Interim  arrangements  were 
adopted  which  gave  rise  to  further  unpleasant  comijlications, 
and  in  1871  the  Treaty  of  Washington  was  concluded.  It  dealt 
Avith  th(;  complications  arising  out  of  the  "Alabama  claims," 
and  also  with  the  lishery  rights  of  both  nations.  It  thnnv  oi)en 
the  fisheries  to  Americans  in  almost  the  i)recise  terms  of  the 
Keciprocity  Treaty,  and  provided  that  "the  inhabitants  of  the 
United  States  shall  have,  in  connnon  with  the  subjcjcts  of  her 
Britaimic  Majesty,  the  liberty,  for  the  term  of  years  nuMitioned 
in  Article  ;5I5  of  this  treaty,  to  take  fish  of  any  kind,  except 
shell-lish,  on  the  sea-coasts  and  shores,  and  in  the  bays,  harbors, 
and  civ-ek-'  of  thci  l*rovinces.  The  Americans  aureed  to  yjivo 
reci[)rocal  privileges  in  their  waters  to  British  lisheniien. 
Further,  it  was  agreed  that  commissioners  should  determiuo 


!!*! 


3-' 


l^! 


i'  ( 


I  !   1 


I    ' 


.1    , 


'J 


i      Ifl' 


-284 


NEWFO  UNDLAND. 


the  respective  value  of  the  fishery  privileges  thus  gi'antcd. 
"When  these  commissioners  met  in  Halifax,  five  and  a  half 
millions  of  dollars  were  awarded  to  the  Dominion  and  New- 
foundland as  compensation  for  the  concessions  made  by  them  to 
the  Americans,  in  throwing  open  to  them  fisheries  of  greater 
value  than  those  conceded  by  the  United  States  to  British 
fishermen.  Of  this  sum  Newfoundland  received  a  million  dol- 
lars. 

The  recent  "Fortune  Bay  Troubles"  show  that  disputes  arc 
not  yet  ended  in  connection  with  the  fisheries.  The  Americans 
proclaim  their  dissatisfaction  with  the  provisions  of  the  Treat}'' 
of  AVasLiington,  and  their  intention  of  terminating  it  at  the 
expiration  of  twelve  years  from  the  date  at  which  it  came  into 
operation.  Should  this  be  done,  a  fresh  arrangement  will 
become  necessary.  , 


\      I 


LABRADOR. 


2«5 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


LABRADOR. 


The  Fisheries — Soundaries —  History  of  Labrador  —  Climate — Population  — 
Belle  Isle  —  The  legend  of  the  Isle  of  Demons  —  Picturesque  scenery  — 
Immense  cod  fishint^-grounds  —  Esquimaux  and  Indians  —  Berry-bearing 
plants  —  Mineral  products. 

In  connection  with  the  fisheries  of  Newfoundland  it  is  neces- 
sary to  give  some  account  of  Labrador,  the  great  dependency 
of  the  colony,  whose  fisheries  are  now  mainly  carried  on  by 
Newfoundland  fishermen.  Since  1809  it  has  been  in  part  under 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  island. 

To  Newfoundland  the  value  of  the  Labrador  fisheries  is  very 
great.  More  than  a  fourth  of  the  entire  export  of  the  fishery 
products  of  the  island  is  taken  on  the  coast  of  Labrador.  Had 
it  not  been  for  the  new  and  extensive  field  for  fishing  industries 
presented  on  this  shore,  it  is  difficult  to  see  how  the  population 
of  Newfoundland  could  have  subsisted,  after  they  were  driven 
from  the  Bank  Fishery  by  the  competition  of  French  and 
Americans,  who  were  sustained  by  large  bounties.  The  average 
annual  catch  of  Newfoundland  fishermen,  who  spend  (he  sum- 
mer on  Labrador,  is  from  350,000  to  400,000  quintals  of  cod- 
fish, 50,000  to  70,000  barrels  of  herring,  and  from  300  to  500 
tierces  of  salmon.  Besides,  Canadian,  Nova  Scotian,  and 
American  fishermen  frequent  this  coast  in  sunnncr.  The  usual 
practice  with  the  Newfoundland  fishermen  is  to  i)roceed  to 
Lal)rador  about  the  end  of  June  and  remain  till  (lie  first  or 
second  week  of  Octol)er.  In  many  instances  they  take  their 
families  with  them,  in  order  to  aid  in  handling  the  fish ;  and 
when  there  they  reside  ashore  in  (emijorary  huts.  It  is  in 
carrying  on  this  fishery  that  the  most  serious  loss  of  life  occurs. 
The  bleak  coast  is  frecpiently  swept  by  storms,  even  in  summer ; 


'\ 


I! 


Mif 


:' ■ 


!?! 


I 


w 


.):' 


H. 


Hi,  b 


if  ■   i 


286 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


and  in  returning  lute  in  Octol)er  in  small,  overcrowded,  and 
sometimes  overladen  vessels,  fatal  disasters  are  too  frequent. 

The  dimensions  of  the  great  [)eninsula  of  Labrador  are  enor- 
mous. The  coast-line,  from  the  Straits  of  Belie  Isle,  which 
scparat(!s  Newfoundland  from  Labrador,  to  Cape  AVolstenhohne, 
is  1,100  miles  in  length.  The  greatest  breadth  is  GOO  miles, 
and  the  area  a])out  420,000  square  miles,  being  equal  to  the 
area  of  the  British  Isles,  France,  and  Austria  combined.  It 
extends  from  41)^  X.  latitude  to  G.'^^,  and  lies  between  the  5r)th 
and  79th  meridians.  It  is  bounded  on  the  east  by  the  Atlantic ; 
on  the  north  and  west  by  Hudson's  Strait  and  Hudson's  T^ay ; 
while  its  south-western  l)oundary  is  the  Bersiamits,  ]Mistassini, 
and  Rupert's  Rivers. 

Only  the  eastern  portion  of  this  immense  tei*ritory  is  under 
the  jurisdiction  of  Newfoundland ;  the  remainder  is  now 
annexed  to  tlie  Dominion  of  Canada.  The  boundaries  between 
Newfoundland  and  Canadian  Labrador  arc  thus  defined  in  the 
"  Letters- Patent  constituting  the  office  of  Governor  and  Com- 
mander-in-Chief of  the  Island  of  Newfoundland  "  :  "  We  have 
thought  tit  to  constitute  order  and  declare  that  there  shall  be  a 
Governor  and  Connnander-in-Chief  (hereinafter  called  our  said 
Governor)  in  and  over  our  Island  of  Newfoundland,  and  the 
islands  adjacent,  and  all  the  coast  of  Labrador,  from  the 
cntnmcc  of  Hudson's  Straits  to  a  line  to  be  drawn  due  north 
and  south  from  Anse  Sal)lon  on  the  said  coast  to  the  fifty-second 
de<rree  of  north  latitude,  and  all  the  islands  adjacent  to  that 
l)art  of  the  said  coast  of  Labrador,  as  also  of  all  forts  and 
garrisons  erected  and  established,  or  which  shall  be  erected 
and  established  within  or  on  the  islands  and  coasts  afore- 
said (which  said  islands  and  coast,  together  with  the 
Island  of  Newfoundland,  are  hereinafter  referred  to  as  our 
said  colony),  and  that  the  person  who  shall  fill  the  said  office 
of  Governor  shall  l)e  from  time;  to  time  appointed  by  commis- 
sion under  our  sign-manual  and  signet." 

In  the  Appendix  to  the  "Journal  of  the  House  of  Assembly" 
for  1804,  iiage  (513,  the  boundaries  of  the  Newfoundland  por- 
tion of  Labrador  are  detined  in  the  following  terms :  "  The 
western  limit  of  the  irovernment  of  Newfoundland  is  lat.  51° 


LABRADOR. 


287 


25'  N.  ;  lonir.  57°  9'  W.,  and  includes  Bliinc  Siiblon  und  the 
Woody  Islands.  The  northern  boundary  is  Capo  Chudlei<rh  in 
lat.  (50°,  37'  N.  ;  long.  G5°  W."  Tims  a  line  drawn  due  north 
and  south,  from  Blanc  Sal)lon  to  Cixyx^  Chudleiirh,  constitutes  the 
boundary  between  the  two  jur:.-.dictions.  This  portion  of  Lab- 
rador was  not  always  attac'ied  to  Newfoundland.  The  first 
amiexation  took  })lace  after  Jic  Treaty  of  Paris,  i7()3.  While 
the  ilag  of  France  waved  ovci  Canada  the  French  carried  on 
extensive  fisheries  on  the  La])rador  coast,  near  the  8t raits  of 
Belle  Isle,  to  which  they  attached  the  greatest  importance. 
After  the  conquest  of  Canada  by  Britain,  a  company  established 
in  Quel)ec  obtained  a  monopoly  of  these  fisheries  which  lasted 
for  sixty  years,  l)ut  was  brought  to  an  end  in  1820.  Until  17G3, 
the  fisheries  of  the  whole  southern  and  eastern  shores  of  Labrador 
were  placed  under  the  Government  of  Quebec.  Increased  im- 
portance M'as  gi v'ju  to  the  governorship  of  Newfoundland  at  that 
date  by  annexing  to  it  the  Atlantic  coast  of  Labrador.  Ten 
years  after,  in  1773,  it  was  considered  advisable  to  restore  this 
portion  of  Labrador  to  Canada,  owing  to  difficulti(>s  arising  out 
of  grants  made  to  a  number  of  persons  under  the  rule  of  the 
French.  In  1809  it  was  again  transferred  to  the  jurisdiction  of 
Newfoundland,  under  which  it  has  remained  ever  since.  A 
Court  of  Civil  Jurisdiction,  on  the  coast  of  Labrador,  was  insti- 
tuted in  1824.  A  special  court  of  civil  and  criminal  jurisdic- 
tion, called  "The  Court  of  Labrador,"  and  presided  over  l)y  one 
judge,  appointed  by  the  Governor  in  Council,  secured  the 
administration  of  justice.  The  Customs'  duties  levied  on  goods 
landed  on  La))rador  are  the  same  as  in  Newfoundland.  The 
Hudson's  Bay  Com})any  had  formerly  the  exclusive  right  of 
trading  with  the  Indians  of  that  part  of  Labrador  which  had 
rivers  flowing  into  the  inlet  from  which  the  conqjany  took  its 
name  and  which  is  designated  East  ]Main.  In  1870,  howciver, 
the  Company  surrendered  all  their  rights  of  goA  crnmcnt,  i)rop- 
crty,  etc.,  in  the  whole  of  British  North  America;  .md  these 
have  been  transferred  to  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  the  Company 
])eing  still  at  liberty  to  carry  on  their  trade  without  hindrance, 
or  any  exceptional  tax.  Canada  has  thus  jurisdiction  over  all 
the  region  of  Lal)rador  which  does  not  belong  to  Newfoundland. 


I   \ 


i  ! 
I    '  • 

i        'I 

m 


'I 


i     I 


i    '. 


f 


If:):       I 


!■ 


',  I, 


\ni 


11! 


.288 


NEWFOUND  LAXD. 


The  northern  Sagas  relate  that  al)out  the  year  1000,  Eric  the 
lied  and  Lief  his  son,  whom  IIunil)oldt  calls  "the  discoverer  of 
the  New  AVovld,"  passed  this  way  and  saw  the  land  which  a  pre- 
vious navigator,  Biorn,  had  i^i^an  fourteen  years  l)efore,  sMid 
named  "Ileiluland,"  that  is,  a  land  of  slate,  or  naked  rocks  —  a 
name  which  was  also  given  hy  these  Norsemen  to  Newfoundland. 
The  modern  discoverer  of  Lal)rador,  how(!ver,  whatever  may  l)e 
thought  of  the  accoimt  given  in  the  Sagas,  was  undouhtedly 
John  Cahot,  in  14t)7,  the  same  daie  at  whicli  he  discovered 
Newfoundland.  In  the  historical  portion  of  this  volume  it  has 
been  shown  that  t'.tc  map,  which  was  made  hy  Sebastian  Calio't, 
or  under  his  direction,  removed  all  doubt  as  to  his  "Prima 
Vista,"  and  Droved  that  it  was  near  the  easiern  point  of  the 
present  island  of  Cape  J^reton.  Continuing  his  course  thence, 
in  a  north-'.vestcu'Iy  direction,  he  fell  i-i  \sM\  the  Labrador  coast, 
and  then,  idtering  his  course  easterly,  he  passed  along  the  north 
coast  of  Newfoundland,  aiid  so  homeward,  through  the  Straits 
of  l)ell(^  Isle.  The  Basques,  who  were  among  the  most  daring 
of  early  mari^^ime  adventurers,  were  soon  employed  in  fishing  on 
t!  0  Gulf  ,;hore  of  Labrador.  Tradition  has  it  that  a  Bascjue 
whaler  named  La  Bradore,  from  the  Kingdom  of  Navarre,  p(Mie- 
tvarcid  as  far  as  Labrador  Bay  (now  called  Bradore  Bay),  and 
gave  his  name  to  that  locality,  and  as  this  bay  was,  in  process 
of  tinjci,  much  frequented  by  Basque  fishermen,  the  whoU;  coast 
received  tli(^  name  of  its  first  visitor.  After  the  Basques  came 
the  Bretons,  who  founded  the  town  of  Brest,  in  Bradore  Bay, 
about  ir)20.  This  wa ;  about  three  miles  from  Blanc  .Sablon 
Harbor,  and  at  one  time  cont."ined  ui^wards  oi  1,000  residents. 
Th'-  ruins  and  tcn'races  of  this  old  towi  are  still  visible  on  this 
iron-))ound  coast.  The  French  and  Enulish  were  the  next  visit- 
ors  in  piu'suit  of  fish. 

Althoiigh  detached  from  Arctic  lands,  and  notwithstanding 
that  nuich  af  it  lies  between  the  same  parallels  of  latitude  as 
Great  Bi'itain,  the  climate  of  Labrador  i.-  rigorous  in  ti)C 
extrenu".  The  snow  lies  from  September  till  June.  In 
winter  the  whole  coast  in  blockaded  by  ice-fields  drifting  from 
Bailin's  Bay  and  other  outlets  of  the  Arctic  Oecan  ;  while  in 
sunnner  the  glittering  icebergs,  i-tranded  or  floating,  imj)art  a 


LABRADOR. 


289 


stern  l)t'jiuty  to  the  storn-beaten  shores.  Perhaps  no  eountry 
on  the  faee  of  the  ghjbo  is  less  attraetive  as  a  permanent 
resi<U'nec  of  eivilized  man.  ^Nlueh  of  the  surfaee  of  the  eountry 
is  eovered  with  low  mountains  and  barren  plateaus,  on  whieh 
are  vast  plains  of  moss  interspersed  with  rocks  and  boulders. 
At  tile  heads  of  tiie  l)ays  and  tiords  only  is  there  a  larj^e  growth 
of  timber;  and  here,  and  alonj^  the  marj^in  of  some  of  the 
rivers,  i)atehes  of  eultivabh;  lands  are  to  be  found.  Tiie 
Atlantie  coast  of  Labrador  is  a  grim  and  terrible  wilderness, 
more  than  a  thousand  miles  in  length,  but  still  not  without 
scenes  of  awe-lnsi)iring  beauty.  The  thunders  of  the  Atlantic 
have  been  breaking  upon  its  shores  for  countless  ages  ;  the 
frosts  and  storms  of  winter  have  been  carving  the  rocks  into 
the  wildest  and  most  fantastic  shapes  which  the  human  imagina- 
tion can  conceive.  When  the  interior  is  reachea  it  is  found  to 
consist  of  a  vast  table-land,  which  in  one  region  is  2,240  feet 
above  the  sea-level.  Professor  Ilind  says  of  this  tal)]e-land, 
"Jt  is  [)reeminently  sterile,  and  where  the  country  is  not 
burned,  caribou  moss  covers  the  rocks,  with  stunted  s])ruce, 
bircii,  and  aspen,  in  the  hollows  and  deep  ravines.  The  whole 
ol'the  t;iblc-land  is  strewed  with  an  intinite  number  of  boulders, 
sometimes  three  and  four  deep;  these  singular  erratics  are 
p,'rche(l  on  the  sunnnit  of  every  mountain  and  hill,  often  on  the 
edges  of  clitfs  ;  and  they  vary  in  size  from  one  foot  to  twcnl- 
in  diameter.  Language;  fails  to  depict  the  awful  desolation  o. 
till'  table-land  of  the  Labrador  Peninsula." 

Were  it  not  for  the  tish  that  swarm  in  its  waters  Lai )nul()r 
would  be  left  to  the  few  tril)es  of  Indians  and  Ks(iuimau\  who 
j'oam  over  its  desolate  wastes  ;  but  such  is  the  extraoi'dinary 
wealth  of  the  adjacent  seas,  that  thousands  of  adventurous 
lisliermen  are  annually  found  on  its  shores  during  its  brief 
sunnner.  This  migratory  population  is  estimated  at  iiO.UOO. 
TIh>  tixed  population  consists  of  white  inhabitants,  who  live  in 
widely  scattered  settlements,  on  the  Atlantic  and  St.  Lawrence 
coasts,  and  at  the  posts  of  the  Hudson's  liay  Company.  The 
northern  coast  is  thinly  peoi)led  by  wandering  Ksipiimaux, 
among  whom  the  Moravian  missionaries  have  been  laboring  for 
more  than  a  century  with  marked  success.     Nomadic  tribes  of 


m 


n 


ii.l 

;  ■ 

M 

Mi 

" !' 

i- 

'■■'  ^ 

'  %  H 

<t-i; 

r,: 


M"'     '! 


!i. 


t  '* 


W'4     . 


I     '.\ 


\f-     'iri 


i 


,|!,' 


.290 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


Indians  roam  over  the  interior.  These  arc  branches  of  the 
•rreat  .Vlironkin  race,  whose  area  once  extended  from  the  Kocky 
^Mountains  to  Newfoundland,  and  from  Labrador  to  the  Caro- 
linas,  and  are  known  as  the  Montagnais  or  Mountaineers,  tiio 
Nasquapec,  the  INIastassini,  and  the  Swampy  Creek  Indians. 

Tiic  Athmtic  coast  of  Labrador,  in  an  economic  point  of  view, 
is  b}'  far  the  most  imi)ortant  and  vahiablc  portion  of  the 
country.  Here,  during  the  summer,  some  thirty  tliousand 
hardy  fishermen  are  employed  in  the  capture  of  the  cod,  the 
herring,  and  the  seal.  Of  late  j'cars,  too,  tourists  in  search  of 
the  picturesque,  artists  sketching  icel)ergs  and  coast  scenery, 
sportsmen  and  anglers  searching  for  game,  and  even  invalids  in 
jiursuit  of  health,  have  been  finding  their  way  in  increasing 
luunbcrs  to  the  Atlantic  shores  of  Labrador  during  its  short  but 
lovely  summer. 

The  voyage;  from  St.  John's  to  the  Atlantic  coast  of  Labrador, 
should  the  weather  prove  favorable,  is  one  of  the  most  d(;liglit- 
ful  to  those  who  enjoy  the  grander  and  sterner  aspects  of 
nature.  Sometimes  the  North  Atlantic  is  found  in  a  gentle, 
playful  mood,  dimpling  and  laughing  under  the  rays  of  a  bright 
sunnuer's  sun  as  though  it  had  never  dash^^d  a  gallant  ship  to 
pieces.  Overhead  is  a  blue  sky  in  which  float  masses  of  fleecy 
clouds.  "  Even  in  their  very  motion  there  is  rest,"  so  gently 
do  these  beautiful  forms  move  across  the  azure  dome,  present- 
ing an  ever-shifting  panorama  of  loveliness.  Then,  if  we 
suppose  the  voyager  sailing  northward  bound  for  Labrador,  he 
will  find  himself  gliding  along  a  lofty  sea-wall,  with  bold  head- 
lands and  grim  rocks  frowning  defiance  at  the  ocean,  while  the 
waves  are  gently  laving  the  base  of  the  giant  cliffs  and  playfully 
leaping  over  the  jutting  rocks  along  the  coast.  No  scenes  of 
softcncul  beauty,  no  wave-kissed  })ebbly  ])caches,  no  upland 
slopes  clad  in  forest  emerald,  need  be  looked  for;  l)ut  there 
is  the  grandeur,  massive,  perpendicular  cliffs,  sometimes 
sculptured  into  shapes  of  stern  beauty,  or  torn  and  jagged  by 
the  fierce  frosts  and  tempests  of  wintcu'  and  the  ever-gnawing 
tooth  of  Time.  The  monotony  of  the  rocky  sea-front  is  broken 
at  intervals  by  the  lofty  capes  which  project  their  extremities 
far  seaward  and  mark  the  entrance  of  the  great  bays  of  Concep- 


LABRADOR. 


291 


Concep- 


tion, Trinity,  Bonavista,  and  Notre  Dame.  The  mouths  of 
these  bays  being  crossed,  the  voyager  at  length  approaches  an 
important  hmdmark.  Cape  St.  John,  the  northern  headland  of 
Notre  Dame  Bay  and  the  boundary  of  the  "French  Shore."' 
Here  is  perhaps  the  most  magnificent  scenery  along  tlic  wliole 
coast,  a  vast  wall  of  rock  from  four  to  five  hundred  feet  in 
height  and  six  miles  in  length,  whose  summit  j)resents  every 
shape  into  which  rocks  can  be  torn  or  sculptured,  grim,  shaggy, 
and  terrible  precipices,  up  whose  sides  the  great  Atlantic  rollers 
have  been  charging  for  centuries.  On  nearing  the  Cape,  Gull 
Island  is  passed,  a  rugged,  barren  islet,  once  the  scene  of  a 
terrible  tragedy.  In  1867  a  vessel  was  wrecked  here  in  the 
month  of  December,  and  eleven  unfortunates  were  left  without 
food  or  shelter  to  perish  by  cold  and  hunger.  One  of  them 
kept  a  diary,  which  is  one  of  the  most  touching  records  of 
human  suffering  ever  brought  to  light.  Their  agonies  were 
prolonged  for  thirteen  days,  and  no  knowledge  of  their  terrible 
fate  was  obtained  till  the  following  spring,  when  their  remains 
were  discovered.     (See  Appendix.) 

At  length  the  most  northern  point  of  Newfoundland  is 
reached.  Cape  Bauld,  the  northern  point  of  the  Island  of  Quii- 
pon,  four  degrees  north  of  St.  John's.  From  this  point,  at 
times,  great  processions  of  stately  icebergs  may  be  seen  moving 
majestically  with  the  current  which  rushes  through  the  Straits 
of  Belle  Isle  from  the  far-off  Arctic  regions.  Midway  to  the 
Labrador  shore  and  fourteen  miles  from  Cape  Bauld  is  Belle 
Isle,  nine  miles  in  length  and  three  in  breadth,  in  the  entrance 
of  the  straits  of  the  same  name.  It  is  utterly  barren,  treeless, 
and  desolate.  A  light-house  is  erected  here,  and  a  depot  of 
provisions  is  kept  for  the  relief  of  shipwrecked  mariners. 
When  fog  envelops  these  seas,  or  the  sno\vtlakcs  are  hurled 
on  the  tempest's  wing,  a  cannon  is  fired  every  half-hour  to 
guide  the  bewildered  mariner. 

The  islands  of  Belle  Isle  and  Quirpon,  owing  no  doubt  to 
their  grim,  forbidding  aspect  and  the  dangers  from  ice  and  storm 
encountered  in  those  seas,  were  named,  by  the  early  mariners, 
"  The  Isles  of  Demons,"  and,  in  old  maps,  are  represented  as 
covered  with  "  devils  rampant,  with  wings,  horns,  and  tails." 


i  (i 


''::i» 


:]•■      I! 


!l      !- 


i. :  I 


2l»2 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


i      1 


'  i  !      'ii'' 


L 


I      :!S;ii 


The  toiTor-strickoii  sonnion  of  early  tiinos  used  to  "hoar  in  !'>c 
air,  on  the  toj>s.  and  al)oiit  the  masts,  a  ffreat  chiinor  of  men's 
voiees,  eonfused  and  inarticuhite,  .such  as  you  may  liear  from 
a  crowd  at  a  fair  or  market-place;  whereupon  they  knew  that 
the  Isle  of  Demons  was  not  far  off."  There  is  a  curious  leirt'iid 
connected  with  Belle  Isle,  namely,  that  here  Kol)ervai,  in  ir)42, 
put  on  shore  from  his  fleet  the  Lady  Mariruerite,  niece  of  the 
Vicei'oy  of  New  France,  and  her  lovcir,  with  whose  conduct  he 
had  l)cen  scandalized  on  the  voyaire.  The  unhappy,  but  now 
])enitent,  pair  were  assaulted  by  the  demons,  l)ut  fiuarded  by 
bunds  of  saints.  The  lover  died  first,  then  the  nurse  and  diild, 
and  the  Lady  ]\[arguerito  was  left  alone  in  the  terrible  wilder- 
ness. The  smoke  of  a  fire,  at  which  she  cooked  her  food,  at 
length  attracted  the  attention  of  some  fishermen,  who  ventured 
to  land  on  the  haunted  spot  and  rescue  the  lady  after  two  years' 
residence  among  the  demons. 

liattle  Harbor,  near  the  entrance  of  the  Straits  of  Belle  Isle, 
is  the  first  i)oint  on  tlic  Labrador  coast  touched  at  by  voyagers. 
''  It  is  a  sheltered  roadstead  between  Battle  Island  and  Great 
Caribou  Island,  about  half  a  mile  in  length  and  quite  narrow." 
Baffle  Harbor  is  an  important  fishing  centre,  and  is  nuich  re- 
sorted to  by  fishermen  during  the  season.  Near  Battle  Island, 
the  easternmost  land  of  the  Labrador  coast,  the  water  is  of 
great  depth,  and  the  place  is  noted  for  a  remarkal)le  ground- 
swell,  Avhich  at  times  rolls  in  from  the  eastward  info  St.  Lewis' 
Sound.  Admiral  IJay field  describes  it  in  the  following  terms  : 
"I  <'crtainly  never,  in  any  jnirt  of  the  world,  saw  a  heavier 
sea  thiui  that  which  at  times  rolls  in  from  the  eastward  in  St. 
Lewis'  Sound,  even  as  far  up  as  the  entrance  of  the  inlet,  round 
the  Kiver  Islands  and  up  the  bays  of  the  main  to  the  westward 
of  them.  I  never  saw  anything  more  grand  and  wildly  beautiful 
than  the  tremendous  swell  which  often  comes  in  without  wind, 
rolling  slowly,  but  irresistibly,  in  from  the  sea,  as  if  moved  by 
some  unseen  power,  rearing  itself  up  like  a  wall  of  water  as 
it  approaches  the  craggy  sides  of  the  islands,  moving  on  faster 
and  faster  as  it  nears  the  shore,  until  at  last  it  bursts  with  fury 
over  islets  thirty  feet  high,  or  sends  up  sheets  of  foam  and  spray, 
sparkling  in  the  sunbeams,  tifty  feet  up  the  sides  of  the  preci- 


LABRADOR. 


'2[):] 


V  ill  t'le 
f  nu'ii's 
11'  from 

t'W  tllilt 
l(\U('ll(l 
u  ir)42, 
'  of  the 
i(liu-t  lie 

)Ut    IIO'.V 

(lod  by 
1(1  child, 

wildor- 
food.  at 
rontiirod 
'()  years' 

die  Isle, 
oyairers. 
d  Great 
narrow." 
iiiich  re- 
?.  Island, 
:er  is  of 
ground- 
;.  Lewis' 
g  terms  : 
I  heavier 
rd  in  St. 
ct,  round 
svestward 
beautiful 
lut  wind, 
noved  by 
water  as 
on  faster 
tvith  fury 
ud  spray, 
the  preci- 


pices.    I  can  compare  the  roar  of  the  surf  in  a  calm  night  to 
nothing  less  than  the  Falls  of  Niagara." 

Leaving  Battle  Harbor,  the  voyager  has  now  in  sight  the 
rugged  coast  of  Labrador,  deeply  indented  Avith  bays  and  in- 
lets, and  having  many  line  harbors.  The  scenery  now  bi'coines 
grand  and  impressive.  The  great  headlands,  lilvc  sentinel  giants, 
tower  ov(.'r  the  waters,  sometimes  grim  and  bare,  while  other.- 
are  covered  with  the  dark  green  of  dwarf-spruce,  or  the  paler 
ijreen  of  mosses  and  shrubs.  Then  come  monotonous  miles  of 
rocky  precipices,  up  whose  sides  charge  the  watery  battalions, 
urged  irom  Ix'hind  by  the  mighty  swing  of  the  Atlantic,  and 
evermore  thing  back  in  spray  and  foam. 

The  most  striking  natural  scenery  heii'  are  the  rocks  at  the 
entrance  of  Chateau  Bay,  which  has  within  it  the  nol)le  tiord 
of  Temple  Bay.  Chateau  gets  its  name  from  the  rock  forma- 
tions at  the  mouth  of  this  deep  and  narrow  bay.  ]\Ir.  llallock 
says:  "This  castle  is  a  most  remarkable  [)ile  of  basaltic  rocks 
rising  in  vertical  columns  from  an  insulated  bed  of  granite. 
Its  height  from  the  level  of  the  ocean  is  upwards  of  two  lumdri'd 
feet.  It  is  composed  of  regular  live-sided  prisms,  and  on  all 
sides  the  ground  is  strewn  with  single  blocks  and  clusters  that 
have  l)ecome  detached  and  fallen  from  their  [)laces.  It  seems 
like  some  grim  fortress  of  the  feudal  ages,  from  whose  embra- 
sures big-mouthed  cannons  were  ready  to  belch  forth  tlanie  and 
smoke.  On  the  very  verge  of  the  parapet  a  cross  stood  out 
in  bold  relief  in  the  gleaming  moonlight,  like  a  sentinel  ujjou 
his  watch  tower."  Chateau  was  once  a  place  of  eousidciable 
importance.  "When  the  unfortunate  Acadians  were  driven  iVoiu 
tlu'ir  homes,  a  numljer  (jf  them  took  refuge  on  this  l)leak  shore 
and  fortitied  the  post.  The  remains  of  these  fortifications  are 
still  visible,  consisting  of  butteries,  maga/ines,  etc.  ;  but  ihey 
are  almost  completely  overgrown  by  thickets.  "In  170.'},  a 
British  garrison  was  located  at  Chateau,  in  order  to  protect 
the  fisheries ;  but  the  place  was  captured  in  177<S  by  the 
American  privateer  'Minerva';  and  three  vessels  and  £70,000 
worth  of  piv,perty  were  carried  awa^'  as  pri::es.  In  17*J(!  the 
post  was  again  attacked  l)y  a  French  lleet.  A  long  boml)ard- 
nient  ensued  between  the  frigates  and  the  shore  batteries,  and 


294 


KE 1 VFO  UNDLAND. 


W' 


it  was  not  until  their  ammunition  was  exhausted  that  thj 
British  troops  retreated  into  the  back  country,  after  having 
burned  the  village.  In  1535  the  French  cxp1r>'-!ng  ileet, 
un(l(;r  tiio  connnand  of  Jacques  Cartier,  assembled  here." 

Having  passed  St.  Fnincis  liarl)or,  Cai)c  St.  Michael,  Battcau 
Har])or,  and  Indinn  Tickle,  Sandwich  Bay  is  reached,  nine 
rniles  wide  at  ihe  entrance  and  fifty-four  in  depth.  Further 
noi'th,  Hamilton  Inlet,  or  Esquimaux  Bay,  opens,  —  the  largest 
])y  far  of  the  numerou.-.i  inlets  that  indent  this  coast.  The 
entrance  is  in  lat.  54°  23'  N.,  long.  57°  25',  and  250  miles 
north  of  the  Straits  of  Belle  Isle.  This  great  inlet  is  thirty 
miles  ^\\<^'^  at  the  mouth,  l)ut  at  Port  Rigolettc,  a  post  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Comjiany,  fifty  miles  from  the  sea,  it  narrows  to 
a  mile  m  width.  On  both  sides  of  these  narrows  hills  iower 
to  the  height  of  1,000  feet,  wooded  with  spruce  from  base  to 
sunnnit.  At  the  termination  of  this  channel  the  inlet  again 
expands  and  forms  Lalcc  ^Iclville,  a  salt-water  lake,  thirty 
miles  in  length  and  twenty  in  breadth.  After  narrowing  again 
it  forms  another  lake  seven  miles  wide  and  twenty  long,  and  at 
its  extremity  the  head  vX  the  inlet  is  reached,  one  hundred  and 
fifty  niiles  from  tl'.e  sea.  The  scenery  arou'id  the  shores  of 
Hamilton  Inlet  is  wild  and  rugged,  but  above  liigolette  l»ecomos 
very  fine.  Along  the  south  shore  of  M"lvill(!  Lake  are  the  weird 
and  woiderful  volcanic  peaks  of  the  ^Mealy  ^Nloimtains,  1,500  feet 
in  height.  This  mountain  range  is  first  visil)le  one  hundred  miles 
to  the  south  of  Hamilton  Inlet,  I'linniug  nearly  parallel  to  the 
<>oast,  iuid,  after  skirting  Lake  ]Mi>lville,  it  strikes  i)Oi'ili-westerly 
and  is  lost  in  the  hilly  regions  of  the  interior.  At  Rigolettc 
two  grcjit  arms  stretch  from  the  ink't  —  the  one  south-cnst  run- 
ning about  forty  miles,  and  tlu^  other  having  a  course  nearl}'' 
parallel  with  the  mal.'  bay  and  a  length  of  sixty  miles.  Pro- 
fessor Hind  estimate's  tin?  surface  covered  ]>y  water,  including 
the  -inns  of  the  iidet,  il  1,700  square  miles.  It  is  studded  with 
islands  of  all  sizes,  which,  in  fogg.y  weather,  render  the  naviga- 
tion perilous.  "'J'he  only  level  ground  of  any  extent  neai-  the  bay 
reaches  from  the  head  of  it  to  the  foot  of  tlu;  Mealy  Mountains. 
It  is  diJiicult  to  i'onc(  've  anything  more  beautiful  than  tin;  tints 
that  their  sunnnit  s   assume  when  touched  by  the  rays  of  the 


I     f 


LALRADOR. 


29; 


hiivinij 


tiurty 


setting  sun,  long  after  he  has  dit^Jippeared  from  the  eye,  while 
every  little  ravine  and  ine(juality  in  their  surface  is  chiselled  out 
against  the  clear  cold  sky  with  wonderful  vividness  and  pre- 
cision.'" ^ 

^lOt  many  tourists  will  care  to  })rocced  further  north,  along  the 
coast  of  Labrador,  than  Hamilton  Inlet.  The  southern  i)()rtion  of 
the  coast,  as  far  northas  SandwichBay,  has  been  occupied  as  a  fish- 
ing-ground for  more  than  a  century  ;  and  during  the  last  thirty 
years  increasing  numbers  of  fishermen  have  extended  their  op- 
erations as  far  north  as  Cape  Harrison,  or  Webeck.  In  recent 
years  a  considerable  number  rl'  Newfoundland  cod-lisliers  lia\'0 
ventured  still  farther  north,  as  far  as  Cape.Mugford  ;  and  the 
probability  is  that  Cape  Chu(Heigh,  at  the  entrance  of  Hudson's 
kStrait,  will  be  reached  by  these  hardy,  adventurous  tishermen 
before  many  years  linve  elapsed,  as  the  fish  wealth  of  Northern 
L;d)rador  is  reported  to  be  amazing.  A  succession  of  narrow  but 
dee[)  liords,  s(Mne  of  them  extending  fifty  miles  into  the  inlerior, 
indents  this  northern  coast.  Fine  growths  of  timber  arc  found 
at  the  heads  of  many  of  these  fiords  tit  for  the  construction  of 
fishing  craft  and  all  ordinary  building  [)in'poses.  The  soil  and 
climate,  too,  are  favorable  for  the  growth  of  potatoes  and  other 
vegetables.  According  to  the  re[)ort  of  I'rofcs.sor  Hind,  who 
visited  this  i)art  of  the  coast  a  i'ew  years  ago,  "  It  is  fringed  with 
a  vast  multitude  of  islands,  forming  a  continuous  archip(>lago 
fi'om  Cape  Aillik  to  Ca[)e  Mugford,  avei"aging  twenty  miles  in 
depth  seawards.  Outside  these  islands,  and  about  lifteen  miles 
Hcaward  from  them,  are  numerous  banks  and  slioals,  wliicli  form 
the  sunnner  feeding-groimds  of  large  cod  ;  and  a  secontl  range 
of  banks,  outside;  the  shoals,  which  are  i)robal)ly  their  winter 
feedinu-irrounds."  This  islaud-studded  aica,  e\clusi\e  of  the 
banks  and  shoals,  from  ('ape  Hai'rison  to  Cape;  Mugford, 
Professor  Hind  estimated  at  .5,^00  s(juar(!  miles,  fiu-nishing  a 
boat  lishinii'-irround  for  cod  nearly  as  lai'i>'(!  as  the  combined  area 
of  the  laiglish  and  Fren<!i  Ixjat  lishing-gi(>ini<l>  cm  the  coast  of 
Newfoundland.  This  inunense  eod-lishing  ground  has,  as  yc't, 
hardly  beiMi  touched.     Professor  Hind  estimates  thc!  total  area 


?#'•'' 


1  lliml's  "  Lttln'iiilor. 


'i":l 


n.^ 


!l(l 


II, '■ 


sP  J 


r 


29() 


A'i:  JF/'O  UNDLAND. 


of  tliG  boat-fislioiy  on  North  and  South  Lal)ra(Ior  at  7,100  s(juaro 
miles.  The  <rreat  cod-tislieiy  of  tlic  future  will  })rol)a1"ly  ho 
alon^  Northern  Lal)ra(lor  and  over  the  adjaeiMit  l)anks.  The 
Arclie  current,  v,'hieh  washes  these  shores,  exerts  a  most  hene- 
licial  influence  on  the  tish  life  of  those  reufions,  as  well  as  on 
that  of  the  seas  around  Newfoundland,  Ctniada,  and  a  portion 
of  the  Xew  iMiiiland  shores.  The  icy  current  Howinu'  from  the 
Arctic  seas  is,  in  many  places,  "a  living  mass,  a  vast  ocean  of 
llvinu:  slime";  and  this  slime  which  accompanies  the;  icehergs 
and  Hoes  "a(;cumulates  on  the  banks  of  northern  Labrador,  and 
ren(U'rs  the  exiitenee  j)os.sible  there  of  all  those  forms  of  marine 
life, —  from  the  diatom  to  the  miimte  crustacean,  from  the  minute 
crustacean  to  the  prawn  and  crab,  toucthor  with  molluscous  ani- 
mals and  starfish  in  vast  profusion,  whichcontributetothesupport 
of  the  iii'oat  schools  of  cod  which  also  find  their  home  there." 
TIk-  same  current  which  brings  the  slime  and  multitudes  of 
miiuite  crustaceans  also  cari'i<'s  on  its  bosom  innumerable  cod 
o\M,  and  distributes  them  far  and  wide. 

Northern  Labrador,  from  Cajx'  A^'el)eck  to  Cape  Chudlcigh, 
is  the  proper  home  of  the  Lsciuimaux  of  this  region.  They  call 
themscdves'Tnmiits,"  which  means  "men," — the  term  Esquimaux 
("eatei's  of  raw  flesh")  being  api)lie(l  to  them  by  hostile  tribes 
to  tlu^  west.  ''They  ai'e  of  low  stature,  with  coarse  featuivs, 
small  hands  and  feet,  and  bhu'k  wiry  hair.  The  nu'u  are  exj)ert 
in  fishing,  catching  seals,  and  managing  the  light  and  graceful 
boat  called  the  kaijak,  which  outrides  the  I'udest  surges 
of  th(>  sea;  while  the  women  are  skilful  in  making  gai'inents 
from  skins."  It  is  estimated  that  the  Ls(|uimaux  of  Labrador 
num!)cr  about  1,700  souls,  scattered  along  AOO  miles  of  coast. 
For  more  than  a  century  the  Moi'avian  missionaries  have  been 
laboring  among  these  Hs(|uiinaux,  and  with  such  success  that 
nearly  all  of  them  have  been  reel;  imed  from  heathenism  of  tho 
worst  description  and  brought  under  Christian  training.  Tho 
])ractice  of  jjolygamy  has  ceast>d  among  tlicm.  and  they  have 
become  to  a  large  extent  jx'aceful  and  industrious,  and  arc 
weane(l  from  the  wiuidering  lif'e  to  which  they  W(!re  addict{>(l, 
livinii'  around  the  mission  stations  in  winter,  and  at  tln^  fishin'' 
posts  in  sumuKM-.     The  missionaries  trade  with  them,  and  export 


LABRADOR. 


297 


the  products  of  their  hihor.s,  giving  them  necessaries  and  com- 
forts in  exchange.  Once  a  year  a  missionary  ship  arrives  huk'n 
with  provisions  and  stores  of  all  kinds,  and  carries  a  return 
cargo  of  furs,  tish,  oil,  etc.  The  brethren  have  four  stations, — 
IIoi)edale,  Xain,  Okkak,  and  Ilehron.  At  each  station  there 
is  a  church,  store,  dwelling-house  for  the  missionaries,  and 
workshops  for  the  native  tradesmen.  In  addition  to  instrut-ling 
them  in  the  truths  of  Christianity,  the  missionaries  seek  to  teach 
them  those  industrial  arts  which  may  contribute  to  their  com- 
fort, and  form  habits  of  steady  ai)plication.  In  seasons  of  fam- 
ine food  is  freel}'  distributed  from  the  mission  stores.  About 
twenty  missionaries  are  resident  on  this  savage  coast.  The 
hardships  they  have  to  endure  may  l)e  estimated  from  the  fact 
that  the  mean  annual  temperature  at  Nain  is  22^  r)2',  and  at 
Okkak  27°  ^2'.  The  thermometer  marks  75°  occasionally  in 
sunnner,  v>hile  si)iriis  freeze  in  the  intense  cold  of  winter. 

The  white  inhabitants  of  the  Atlantic  coast  of  Lal)rad()r  arc 
in  widely  scattered  settlements  south  of  Cai)e  Harrison.  ^lany 
of  them  are  British  sailors  or  tlu'ir  descendants,  who  prei"er  a 
rude,  lonely,  semi-barbarous  life  to  the  restraints  of  civilization. 
Salmon  and  cod  iishing  are  their  main  occupations,  and  the 
products  of  their  industries  are  exchanged  with  traders  on  the 
si)ot  for  suchconnnoditics  as  they  re(|uire.  The  winter  is  spent 
in  trapi)ing  fur-bearing  animals.  At  the  various  mercaulile 
establishments  along  the  coast  a  number  of  book-keepers, 
clerks,  servants,  and  others  aro  resident.  The  last  census 
taken  I'V  the  Government  of  Newfoundland,  in  1874,  giv(>s  the 
resident  po[)ulat;()n  iVom  l^lanc  Sablon  to  Cajie  llai'rison  as 
2,41(1.  Of  these  l,4s:»  belong  to  the  Church  of  Kngland  ;  ITC 
to  the  Church  of  Ivonie  ;  28')  ar(>  Wesleyans ;  'M)  are  Ti-esby- 
terians  ;  and  12()  b(>l()ng  to  other  denominalions.  There  aro 
nine  places  of  w()rslii[) :  four  of  the  Clmi'ch  of  Kngland.  three 
of  the  Church  of  Ivome,  and  two  of  the  W'esieyan  Church. 
During  the  tishing-season  a  steanu'r  carrying  mails  and  passen- 
gers plies  fortuightl}'  on  the  coast,  conneeling  wTlh  the  New- 
foundland coastal  mail-steamer  at   Batth^  IIarl)cr. 

On  the  St.  Lawrence  coast  of  I^abrador,  from  Port  Neufto 
I)Ianc  Sablon,  there  is  a  considerable  po[)ulation,  numbering  in 


-    \ 


'  ''    M 

!  <  'I 
fir 


ill 


^^1 


i 


I,! 


1    ' 


ft 

} 


']■ 


f. 


ill 


In       I 


298 


iyiiF  ir/'O  UNDLAND. 


all  ubouf,  -^,400.  These  are  inuinly  of  Canadian  or  Acadian 
origin,  and  live  chiefly  by  fishing  and  hunting.  Many  of  them 
speak  both  French  and  English.  Of  the  >vho]e  number  3,800 
are  Roman  Catholics,  and  570  are  Protestants. 

The  Indians  of  the  interior,  both  the  ]\Iontagnais  and 
Nas(|uapees,  speak  dialects  of  the  Creo  language.  Their  num- 
bers are  estimated  at  4,000,  but  they  are  slowly  disap})earing. 
Game,  on  which  they  depend,  is  becoming  scarcer  every  year, 
owing  largely  to  destructive  fires  which  have  swe[)t  over  vast 
areas,  destroying  forests,  berry-bearing  shrubs,  mosses  and 
lichens,  and  converting  whole  districts  into  hopeless  deserts 
strewed  with  naked  boulders,  where  no  animal  life  can  exist. 
Some  of  the  Xas(]uapee  tribe  are  still  heathen,  but  the  iNIontag- 
nais  are  nearly  all  nominally  Roman  Catholics.  The  zealous 
Jesuit  missionaries  of  early  times  extended  their  labors  from 
Canada  to  Labrador,  and  these  have  Ijeen  specially  successful 
among  the  ]Montagnais.  Of  late  years  they  have  been  resmncd, 
and  are  now  systematically  carried  on.  The  Indians  hunt  over 
the  interior,  and  at  certain  seasons  visit  the  coast  in  order  to 
exchange  the  products  of  the  chase  for  clothing,  ammunition, 
and  other  necessaries. 

One  of  the  [)rincii)al  features  of  vegetable  life  in  Labrador  is 
the  berry-bearing  plants,  which  in  certain  districts  arc  found  in 
great  variety  and  abundance.  These  are  chielly  partridge- 
berries,  bakeapple  berries,  raspl)errles,  cranberries,  hurtle- 
berries,  wild  currants,  and  wild  g()osel)erries.  jNIosscs  of  every 
hue,  wild  flowers  of  the  most  (U'licale  colors,  ferns  and  tall 
wild  grasses  in  inunense  variety,  help  to  I)eautify  the  scene 
during  the  brief  sunnner.  At  the  luvuls  of  tlu;  tior  Is  forest- 
o-rowlhs  of  eonsid(!ral)le  si/e  are  found  sullicicnt  for  fuel  and 
building  i)m-poses.  The  trees  are  chn-fly  larch,  bhu-k,  while, 
and  red  spruce,  birch,  aspen,  silver  fir,  willow,  cherry,  and 
mountain-ash.  ^Vmong  the  wild  animals  enunun-ated  are 
reindeer  in  large  numbers,  bhuk  and  whitt;  bears,  foxes, 
martens,  l^-nxes,  otters,  minks,  beavers,  musk-rats,  hares,  and 
rabbits.  Among  tin;  birds  are  eagles,  owls,  ravens,  hawks, 
falcons,  ptarmigan,  spruce  i)artri(lges,  ciu'lew,  gray  plovers, 
san(lpi})ers  and  other  waders,  geese,  ducks,  gulls,  divers, 
swallows,  snipe,  and  pigeons. 


ff 


LABRADOR. 


299 


divers, 


The  winter  in  Labrador,  to  those  accustomed  to  't,  is  far 
from  unpleasant.  It  is  ahiiost  one  continued  stretch  of  cold, 
dry,  l)racing  weather,  broken  at  times  hy  fierce  snow-storms. 
Thirty,  and  even  forty  degrees  below  zero,  is  not  an  unconnnon 
state  of  the  atmosphere  ;  but  when  the  thermometer  ranges  so 
low  there  is  generally  a  dead  calm,  so  that  the  temperature  is 
not  specially  disagreeable. 

Of  the  rivers  of  Labrador  those  falling  into  the  Gulf  of  St. 
Lawrence  are  the  Moisie  (two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  in 
length),  the  Mingan,  the  Ounanemo,  and  the  St.  Augustine. 
Rupert's  Kiver,  East  INIain,  and  Great  a  ul  Little  Whale  liivers 
fall  into  Hudson's  Bay.  The  Eagle,  the  West,  and  East  Kivcrs 
—  all  fine  salmon  rivers  —  fall  into  Sandwich  '^ay.  The  largest 
river  in  the  peninsula  is  the  Ashwanapi  or  Hamilton  Kiver, 
discharging  its  waters  into  Hamilton  Inlet,  being  nearly  a  mile 
and  a  half  wide  at  its  mouth.  The  valley  through  which  this 
great  river  flows  is  in  many  places  well  wooded,  and 
patcV.3s  of  fertile  land  arc  found  at  intervals  on  its  banks.  The 
Nasquapee  or  North-west  Kiver  and  the  Kenamou  also  fall  into 
Hamilton  Inlet.  Between  Hamilton  Inlet  and  the  Gulf  of  ot. 
Lawrence  there  is  a  canoe  route,  the  distance  being  traversed 
in  fifteen  days.  George's  Kiver,  Whale  Kiver,  and  South 
River,  or  Koksoak,  fall  into  Ungava  Bay. 

The  Laurentian  formation  constitutes  the  great  framework 
of  the  peninsula,  and  Lower  Silurian  beds,  principally  Potsdam, 
rest  on  the  Laurentian  at  various  points  of  the  coast.  Copper 
ore  has  been  found  at  dillerent  places  along  the  coast,  and  gold 
in  small  quantities  has  also  been  discovered.  Labradorite,  a 
beautiful  felspar,  is  found  in  great  masses  on  Labrador  and 
elsewhere.  It  is  celebrated  for  its  beautiful  lustre.  Its  sur- 
face, when  seen  at  particular  angles  of  vision,  is  freciuenfly 
distinguished  by  an  ox(iuisilo  play  of  colors,  charming  the  eye 
with  changing  lustre,  and  reflecting  the  most  lovely  grays,  the 
most  delicate  blues,  and  the  softest  golden  yellows.  There 
are  mountain  ranges  in  Labrador  largely  cojuposed  of  this 
felspnr.  According  to  Dana,  the  i-nunent  Ainei-icau  geologist,  it 
is  colorless  to  grayish  and  smoky  brown,  and  usually  with 
beautiful   internal    reflections.     Its  composition    is    silica,   53 ; 


m 


V-F 


'  « 


4ii 


I 


300 


NE  WFO  UXDLAND. 


I- 


If;  U 


?' 


aluminii,  30.1 ;  lime,  12.3  ;  soda,  4.5.  lliitio  of  protoxyd  bases, 
aluiuiiia,  and  silica,  1  :  1  ::  I3.  Labradorite  and  anorthito 
diller  from  other  felspars  in  containing  proportional)ly  less  of 
silica,  and  being  decomposable  easily  by  acids.  It  is  mauufact- 
ured  into  cups,  vases,  and  other  ornaments. 

The  main  value  of  Laljrador  lies  in  its  fisheries.  These  are 
of  innnense  and  steadily  increasing  value.  The  following 
returns    will    show   the    present   value   of  those    fisheries. 

Exports  from  Labrador  for  tne  year  ending  July  31,  1880  :  — 

NEWFOUNDLAND     HOUSES. 

Dried  codlish  .....    393,430  qtls. 


Green  do. 
Sealskins 
Seal  oil  . 
Cod  oil  . 
Other  oil 
Blul)l)er 
Pickled  Salmon 
Pickled  herring 
Pickled  trout 
Pickled  mackerel  . 
Dried  caplin  . 


144   " 

1,01)G. 
50  tuns, 
76     " 
1     " 
17     " 
592  tievces. 
16,970  brls. 
14      " 
459      '* 
58      " 


If? 


EXPOliTS    BY   LABUADOll    HOUSES    NOT    CONNECTED    WITH  NEW- 
FOUNDLAND,   FOR   YEAlt    EXDLNG    JULY    1,    1880. 

Dried  codHsh          ....  14,000  qtls. 

Sealskins        .....  110. 

Seal  oil          ....         .  14  tuns. 

Cod  oil          .....  55     " 

Refuse 2     '< 

iJlubbcr 15     " 

Pickled  salmon      ....  400  tierces. 

Salmon  in  tins       ....  30,000  lbs. 

I'ickled  herring     ....  700  brls. 

Pickled  trout          ....  40     " 

Pickled  mackerel            .         .         .  200     " 

Dried  caplin           ....  160     '* 


LABRADOR. 


301 


EXPORTS    BY    TRADERS    ON    LABRADOR    COAST   FOR   YEAR   ENDING 

JULY  1,  1880  (estlmated  quantities). 

Dried  codfish          .         .         .         .  520  qtls. 

Cod  oil           .....  14  tuns. 

Pickled  salmon       ....  757  tierces. 

Pickled  herrinjr      ....  2,012  brls. 


e 


Pickled  mackerel 


30 


The  forecfoing  statement  shows  that  in  that  j'car  the  total 
export  of  dried  codfish  was  407,002  quintals,  value  at  three 
dollars  per  quintal  $1,223,880;  the  export  of  herring  20,282 
barrels,  value  at  three  and  a  half  dollars  per  barrel,  $70,987  ; 
the  export  of  salmon  1,749  tierces,  value  $34,980. 

For  the  year  ending  31st  July,  1881,  the  exports  of  the 
three  great  staples  were  as  follows  ; — 


Dried  codfish 
Pickled  herring 
Pickled  salmon 


419,997  qtls. 
33,330  l)rls. 
957  tierces. 


It  must  be  remembered  that  the  foregoing  figures  represent 
only  the  exports  of  the  fishery  products,  and  do  not  show  the 
quantities  consumed  by  the  fishermen  while  employed,  or 
afterwards  during  the  winter  at  their  own  homes,  which  must 
be  very  considerable.  Besides,  about  a  fourth  of  the  whole 
catch  is  sent  to  Newfoundland  for  shipmcMit,  and  the  Canadian 
and  American  fishermen  who  frequent  those  shores  carry  away 
Avith  them  the  ])roducts  of  their  labors,  which  are  estimated  to 
])e  al)out  a  ninth  of  the  entire  quantities  taken.  Al)()ut  one 
hundred  Canadian  and  Nova  Scotia  vessels  are  annually  engiiged 
in  the  Labrador  fisheries.  The  number  of  American  fishing- 
vessels  visiting  Labrador  has  declined  of  late  years,  and  is 
now  comi)aratively  insignificant.  The  Americans  mainly  devote 
themselves  now  to  the  Bank  fishery.  AVhen  the  (piantities  dis- 
posed of  in  the  way  described  are  added  to  the  direct  exports,  the 
aggregate  will  be  increased  by  more  than  one-half.  Altog(;ther, 
from  1,000  to  1,200  fishing-vessels  are  employed  each  year  on 


!     {: 


302 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


'#lli!' 


the  Atlantic  coast  of  Labrador,  carrying  more  than  30,000 
fishermen. 

These  valuable  fisheries  are  each  year  falling  more  aiid 
more  into  the  hands  of  Newfoundland  fishermen.  Canadians 
and  Americans,  coming  fronx  great  distances,  cannot  compete 
Avith  those  who  are  l)ut  three  c"  ft  nr  days'  sail  from  tlie  coast  of 
Labrador.  Formerly  ;'er  •  re  -i  large  numb  r  of  Jersey 
houses  at  Labiuuor,  hvi  co.;;.  ^hree  of  these  now  remain.  The 
English  mercantile  t  tal  -'-;!?:>,,  ts  have  all  withdrawn. 

It  has  been  computed  by  comp*  ^t  authorities  that  when  the 
quantities  of  fish  of  all  kinds  taken  on  the  Atlantic  and  St. 
Lawrence  shores  of  Labrador,  by  the  Esquimaux,  by  New- 
foundlanders, Canadians,  and  Americans,  are  estimated,  the 
aggregate  values  will  not  fall  short  cf  a  million  pounds  sterling 
per  annum. 

The  total  population  of  Labrador  is  about  12,527,  and  is 
distributed  as  follows  :  — 


On  the  St.  Lawrence  Coast,  from  Port  Neuf 

to  Blanc  Sablon  ....  4,411 

On  the  Atlantic  Coast  — 

White  Population  .         .         .         .  2,416 

Esquimaux  .....  1,700 

Indians  of  the  Interior     ....  4,000 


Total . 


12,527 


:l'i 


PART     IV. 
AGRICULTUEAL   EESOURCES. 


CHAPTER  I. 


THE    GEOGRAPHICAL    SURVEY. 


Difficulties  of  the  past  —  The  vagiirics  of  Governor  Milbanke  —  Vahie  of  t  .i 
hind  now  under  cuiuvation  —  Now  discoveries  of  fertile  belts-  Lands 
suitable  for  settlement  —  Two  million  nine  hundred  and  seventy-six  '  ■  ■:  ?^ii.i 
acres  awaiting  cultivation. 

Up  to  a  comparatively  recent  period  the  belief  was  almost 
miiversal  that  Newfoundland  was  a  "  howling  wilderness,"  its 
interior  a  region  of  swamps,  bogs,  and  rocks,  and  its  climate 
such  as  to  forbid  the  idea  of  attempting  the  cultivation  of  the 
soil.  It  is  not  difficult  to  account  for  these  unfounded  and 
erroneous  impressions.  It  has  been  already  shown  tliiit  for 
nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  the  laws  enacted  and  enforced 
in  the  colony  prohi])ited  the  occupation  or  cultivation  of  land 
under  heavy  penalties,  and  even  the  erection  of  houses,  except 
such  as  were  necessary  for  carrying  on  the  fisheries.  In  vain 
did  the  resident  inhabitants  apply  for  permission  to  enclose  and 
cultivate  even  small  patches  of  land.  The  rigiit  to  do  so  was 
sternly  refused.  The  island  was  to  be  preserved  as  a  station 
for  the  use  of  a  small  body  of  merchants  who  carried  on  a 
migratory  fishery.  To  prevent  the  increase  of  inhabitants, 
stringent  orders  were  given  to  successive  governors  not  to 
make  any  grants  of  land,  and  to  reduce  tiie  number  of  those 
who  were  already  settled  there,  by  withholding  whatever  might 
serve  to  encourage  them  to  remain  in  the  island.  As  Mr. 
William  Knox  forcibly  expressed  it,  in  his  evidence  before  a 

(803) 


ii|i' 


30-4 


XE  WFO  UXDLAXn. 


H''  ML 


!)l 


:!IF 


M 


:''J    I- 

ii 
t . 


m 


'lilt*' 

mi 


Piirliiiinoiitaiy  Comniittee,  in  171)3:  "The  Island  of  Xew- 
fouiidhmd  had  been  considered  in  all  former  times  as  a  great 
English  slii]),  moored  near  the  Banks  diirinir  the  fishing-season 
for  the  eonvonienee  of  the  English  fishermen.  The  governor 
was  considered  as  the  ship's  captain,  and  all  those  concerned 
in  the  lishery  hnsiness  as  his  crew,  and  suhject  to  naval  disci- 
]>line."  The  treatment  of  the  settlers  was  graphically  described 
])y  Lord  North  in  the  following  terms  :  "  Whatever  they  loved 
to  have  roasted,  the  Governor  was  to  give  them  raw,  and 
whatever  they  wished  to  have  raw,  lu;  was  to  give  it  to  them 
roasted."  (lovernor  Mill)anke,  in  one  of  his  despatches  which 
is  still  extant,  expressed  his  astonishment  how  any  governor 
could  imagines  himself  vested  with  power  to  grant  land  to  i)ers(nis 
in  Newfoundland  in  the  face  of  existing  statutes,  and  (h^clared 
that  the  possession  of  any  land  "ought  to  subject  the  holders 
to  imprisonment  or  banishment  from  the  country.'' 

Another  cause  which  retarded  agriculture  in  Newfoundland 
was  th(!  delusion  so  systematically  and  perscvcrlngly  proi)a- 
gated  l)y  interested  persons,  that  the  soil  of  the  island  was 
liopi'Iessly  barren,  and  that  all  attempts  at  agricultural 
im[)rovement  nuist  prove  failures.  The  mercantile  inono})olists 
were  most  sedulous  in  impressing  this  belief  on  the  English 
peoph'  and  on  successive  English  (jovernments,  simi)ly  Ix^causo 
they  wanted  to  keep  the  country  as  a  comfortal)le  "preserve" 
for  their  own  advantage.  Eor  a  long  period  they  were  success- 
ful in  duping  the  world  on  this  subject,  imtil  it  l)ecame  at  length 
a  settled  belief  that  this  large  island,  with  a  healthy  climate, 
and  situated  in  a  temperate  latitude,  presented  insurmountable 
obstacles  to  agriculture.  The  people  themselves,  cooped  u}) 
chii'lly  around  the  shores  of  the  ixMiinsula  of  Avalon,  where  the 
soil  is  poorest,  knowing  nothing  of  the  interior,  and  being 
dcpendi'ut  on  the  fisheries,  at  length  ])ecame  persuaded  that 
there  was  no  soil  to  cultivate,  and  that  the  whole  island  was  of 
the  same  character  as  the  rock}'  mai'gin  of  the  sea. 

As  years  rolled  on  this  notion  regarding  the  barrenness  of 
the  soil  has  been  entirely  dissipated.  Experience  proved  that 
whei'cver  judicious  industry  was  ex[)ended  on  the  soil  it  yielded 
excellent  returns;  and  at  tlie  present  moment  those  who  have 


1,L 


'"^'iHr 


it 


THE  GEOGRAPHICAL   SURVEY. 


.305 


ukUiiihI 

propa- 

.11(1  was 

cultural 

opolists 

'Liiiilisli 

x'causo 

serve  " 

leee.ss- 

lenirtli 

iiuale, 


iiess  of 
'd  that 
yieldecl 
lo  liave 


bestowed  most  attention  on  agriculture  arc  tlic  most  prosjjcrous 
and  independent  portion  of  the  working-classes.  To  the  state- 
ment tJiat  tlie  soil  of  Xewfoundland  is  unfavorahle  to  agriculture, 
it  is  sutKcient  to  reply  that  the  value  of  the  land  now  under  culti- 
vation, together  with  the;  cattle,  sheep,  and  horses,  etc.,  wliich  it 
sustains,  is  not  less  than  two  millions  and  a  half  of  dollars,  and 
the  annual  produce  is  $(512, 350.  This  is  the  result  of  the 
limited  ed'ort  made  by  the  pi'ojjle  in  this  direction  around  the 
various  settlements  on  the  shore,  where  the  soil  is  jjoorest,  and 
the  harsh  winds  blowing  over  the  ocean  are  most  felt.  What 
may  not  be  accomplished,  when  the  fertile  bi'lts  of  the  interior, 
having  a  much  finer  climate,  are  ix'ojjled  and  cultivated  I  iMcn 
now,  however,  enough  has  been  done  to  })rove  that  the  soil  of 
the  island,  so  far  from  being  intractable  ami  l)arren,  yields,  on 
cultivation,  rich  and  abundant  crops  in  great  variety.  The 
farther  settlement  has  extended  inland,  especially  around  the 
luiuls  of  the  dillerent  bays,  where  noble  stretches  of  the  liiiest 
land  exist,  the  more  evident  become  the  capabilities  of  the  soil 
to  sustain  an  agricultural  poi)ulation. 

The  geological  survey,  as  it  advanced  year  after  year,  an<l 
made  fresh  discoveries  of  fertile  lands,  noble  forests,  and 
mineral  districts,  has  at  length  completely  banished  the  old 
delusion  founded  on  ignorance  and  i)rejudice,  and  revealed  a 
country  having  very  great  agricultural  resources,  awaiting  the 
operations  of  the  strong  arm  of  labor  for  their  development. 
These  conclusions  no  longer  rest  on  mere  conjecture,  or  the 
assertions  of  individuals  whose  iud<i:nients  are  not  reliable. 
They  rest  on  evidences  collected  by  scientilic  men  whose  testi- 
mony cannot  be  disi)uted. 

r)efore  iirivin<>:  a  detailed  account  of  the  several  fertile  l»i'its 
of  the  island  wc  propose  to  })resent  a  general  outline  of  the 
extent  of  the  aiiricultural  resources,  as  ascertained  bv  the  geo- 
logical  survey.  A  very  careful  survey  was  made  of  tin;  western 
coast,  for  a  considerable  distance  inland,  by  Mr.  Murray  and 
his  assistant.  Their  reports  state,  as  the  result,  that  the  regions 
near  and  surrounding  St.  George's  Bay,  including  the  Codroy 
Valle^-s  and  Port-a-Port,  contain  seven  hundred  and  thirty 
square  miles,  more  or  less  suitable  for  settlement,  "the  most 


*    -I 

1:1  !if 


-^•if 


i!ii 


306 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


h 


\h 


)  V 


favored  tract  Ix-ing  the  coal-nipasurod  districts,  where  the 
surface  is  often  tiat  or  jrently  undulating  over  a  great  many 
acres."  Bay  of  Islands,  including  the  valley  of  the  Iluniher, 
Deer  Lake,  and  Grand  Lake  country,  contains  six  hundred 
square  miles  suita1)le  for  settlement,  —  being  a  total  of  thirteen 
hundred  and  thirty  s(iuarc  miles  in  this  single  district  of  land 


•fectly 


able  of  b 


.'laimed  and  converted  into  fairly 


amieu  and  conv( 

productive  grazing  and  arable  land."  "  These  valleys,"  says 
the  report,  "are,  for  the  most  part,  M'ell  wooded,  producing,  in 
many  instances,  large  pines,  juniper,  or  tamarack  (the  latter  a 
species  of  larch),  tine  yellow  birch,  and  other  valuable  timl)er. 
In  the  valley  of  the  Ilumber  this  is  especially  the  case,  Mherc  a 
large  area  of  country  appears  to  be  provided  with  all  the 
necessary  material  for  ship-building  in  a  remarkable  degree." 

Passing  now  to  the  eastern  coast  wo  come  to  the  Gander 
country.  On  the  Gander  river  and  lake,  Avith  the  tributaries, 
and  including  the  Gambo  and  Terra  Nova  valleys,  together  with 
the  tracts  at  the  heads  of.  the  ba^'s,  there  are,  according  to  Mr. 
^Murray,  seventeen  hundred  square  miles  availal)le  for  settle- 
ment. The  Exi)loits  Valley  and  Red  Indian  Lake,  together 
with  the  lands  surrounding  the  estuary  of  the  Exploits,  contain 
sixteen  hundred  and  twenty  scpiare  miles.  Thus,  we  have  a 
total,  in  these  great  valleys  alone,  of  4,G50  square  miles,  or 
2,970,000  acres,  tit  for  settlement,  and  capa])le,  when  cultivated, 
of  sustaining  a  very  large  population  in  comfort. 

The  foregoing  comprise  only  the  most  extensive  tracts  of 
fertile  land  at  present  known,  but  in  addition  there  are  many 
smaller  portions  of  excellent  soil  around  the  heads  of  all  the  bays, 
aloni;  the  margins  of  the  smaller  rivers,  and  on  several  of  the 
islands,  such  as  llandom  Island,  in  Trinity  Bay,  which,  united, 
constitute  a  large  area.  The  Salmonier  arm  and  river  may  I)e 
named  as  a  district  where  there  is  a  very  considerable  extent  of 
good  soil,  but  little  of  which  is  yet  under  cultivation.  The 
peninsula  of  St.  Mary's,  the  north  side  of  Smith's  Sound,  in 
Trinity  Bay,  Goose  Bay,  in  Bonavista  Baj--,  are  also  fertile 
districts,  each  capable  of  sustiiining  a  considerable  agricultural 
population.  AVlien  you  add  to  these  the  land  already  under 
culture  around  the  various  settlements,  and  the  extensive  tracts 


here    the 
at  many 
Ilmnhor, 
luiiuli'ccl 
'  thirteen 
;t  of  land 
nto  fairly 
vs,"  says 
ucinir,  in 
I  latter  a 
e  timber. 
,  Avliere  a 
!i  all  the 
deijree." 
Gander 
ibutaries, 
ther  with 
ig  to  Mr. 
or  settle- 
together 
>,  eontain 
6  have  a 
miles,  or 
iltivated, 

tracts  of 
ire  many 
the  l)ays, 
■al  of  the 
I,  united, 
r  may  be 
extent  of 
jn.  The 
>ound,  in 
so  fertile 
L'ieultnral 
\y  under 
[vc  tracts 


THE  GEOGRAPHICAL   SURVEY. 


307 


of  land  throughout  the  whole  ])eninsida  of  Avalon,  which  are 
admirably  adapted  for  cattle  and  sheei)  raising,  the  area  of  the 
whole  can  scarcely  be  under  2,000,000  acres.  Thus  we  have- 
close  on  5,000,000  acres  well  titted  for  agricultural  and  grazing 
purposes.  The  savanna  country  of  the  interior,  described  by 
Cormack,  which  in  all  probal)iIily  will  one  day  be  converted 
into  cattle  tracts  or  sheep  walks,  is  not  included  in  the  fore- 
going estimate.  It  is  proI)ably  about  one  hundred  and  twenty 
miles  in  length  and  ninety  miles  in  breadth. 

Having  thus  given  a  general  outline  of  the  agricultural  dis- 
tricts and  their  extent,  we  projxjse  now  to  take  each  in 
turn,  and  furnish  a  more  detailed  account  of  their  capa- 
bilities, beginning  with  the  Codroy  valleys  on  the  western 
coast. 


"i  i . 


t4 


.  I'l^ 


il'', 


;i!li; 


!*; 


308 


NE  WFO  UNDLA  ND. 


•:'! 


if 


i::li 


CHAPTER  II. 


THE  CODROY'  VALLEi'  OX  THE  WESTERN  COAST. 

A  wt'll-wooded  country  —  AVild  grass  —  Grazinj^  laiuls  —  A  viiitrr  in 
Cdilroy  Villa  —  Experiences  of  local  fanning  —  Huihling-stonc  and 
minerals  —  Euiigrants  going  West — A  fertile  oasis  en  route  hitherto 
unknown. 

The  Great  Codroy  River  falls  into  the  sea  in  latitii(l(» 
47°  m'  14",  lonaitiido  59°  liV  T):)"  l)et\veen  lifteen  and  ti'wWvw 
niiU'.s  nortli  of  Capo  Ray,  and  about  six  miles  .south-easterly 
from  Cape  Aiiijiiiile.     Tiien;  is  a  narrow  irnt  Ix'tween  tlu;  sea 


an( 


1  tl 


le    expansive    shallow  e.s 


■■tuary  of  this  river.     Banks  of 


sand  and  gravel,  whieli  arc  eontiniially  shift ini:',  render  the 
entrance  difficult  and  danirerous  even  for  small  craft;  and  in 
some  i)laees  there  arc  only  eight  or  ten  feet  of  water.  Inside 
this  gut  there  is  an  excellent  harhor  sheltered  from  all  winds. 
On  tlu>,  coast,  four  miles  south  froin  the  outlet  of  the  (ireat 
Codroy  River,  is  Ijai'kin  Point,  immediately  south  of  which 
the  waters  of  the  Little  Cod?'')y  river  are  poin'(Ml  into  the  sea. 
The  tine  valley,  which  is  drained  by  these  two  streams,  is 
boimded  on  the  south-east  by  the  Ca[)e  Ray  momit-dns,  rising 
in  some  places  to  a  height  of  two  thousand  .eet,  and  on  llu^ 
northern  side  by  the  Cape  Anguille  range,  whox*  highest  elcv;.- 
tions  I'cach  one  thousand  three  himdred  fetst,  and  arc  "ri<lilv 
covered  by  forest  trees  nearly  to  the  sunnnils." 

Of  tlie  Codroy  Valley,  Mr.  Miu'ray  says:  "The  area 
occupied  by  level  or  gently  imdulating  hmd  amounts,  l)y  rougii 
nieasm-ement  on  the  plan,  to  about  seventy-five  sr|uare  miles, 
or  about  forty-eight  thousand  S(|uare  acres;  a  very  laigt; 
proportion  of  which  is  availabh'  for  settlement.  For  th(^  most 
part  the  country  is  wi'U  wooded  with  stout  mixed  timber, 
consisting   chiefly  of  spruce,  balsam    firs,  yellow   birch    (fre- 


THE  CODROT  VALLEY. 


309 


(juently  of  large  size),  white  l)irch,  iind  tiiuiarack.  The  islands 
aud  flats  of  the  lower  })art  of  (Ireat  Codroy  Kiver  yield  a 
luxuriant  growth  of  wild  graw,  allbrding  an  ample  su]i[)ly  of 
adniirahle  fodder  for  catti(!.  Notwithstanding  the  very  rude 
process  by  which  the  land  is  cultivated,  the  crops  of  grass, 
grain,  and  roots  which  it  yieUls  highly  testify  to  the  excellence  of 
the  soil  on  which  they  are  gi  .vii.  Cattle  and  sheep  arc  raised 
u[)on  most  of  these  small  farms,  j.roducing  most  oxcelleni  heef 
and  nuitton,  besides  dairy  produce  of  the  very  best  description. 
The  greater  portion  of  the  Anguille,  aud  some  portions  of  the 
lower    slopes    of  the    Cape    Kay    ranges  are  quite  cai)able  of 


nni 


)rovement,  and  if  clearc(l  of  limbcr  and  sown  in  <rra 


ss  wou 


Id 


allbrtl 


grazmir  laiu 


1  not 


easily  surpassed  in  any  country 


The  Surveyor-(  Jeneral  of  Xewforiudlaiul,  who  held  otlice  more 
than  thirty  j'ears  ago,  after  a  visit  to  C'odroy,  said  in  his  rejjort : 
"The  extent  of  land  l)etween  the  (Jrcat  and  the  Little  Codroy 
Fivers,  and  on  the  north  sid(>,  of  the  former,  may,  from  the 
examination  made,  l)e  estimate(l  to  contain  an  area  eipial  to 
seventy  thousand  acres.  The  whole  of  that  s[)ace  consists  of  a 
rich  loam,  cajjable  of  the  jiighest  degree  of  cultivation,  and  lit 
for  the  production  of  any  descrii)ti()n  of  croj).  Limestone  is 
readily  obtained,  and  can  with  little  troubh;  be  madc^  to 
contribute  to  the  sui)i)ort  of  the  land  where  it  is  so  abundantly 
found.  Timl)er  of  the  most  serviceable  description  covers,  for 
the  most  [)art,  the  tract  here  referred  to.  Hirch-trces,  meas- 
uring from  live  to  seven  feet  in  cii-cuinfiu'ence,  wert^  found 
within  a  (juarter  of  a  mile  of  the  shore,  whik;  others,  of  a  larger 
growth,  may  be  readily  jji-ocured  at  a  short  distances  from  it. 
Among  the  bin-h  iU'e  mingled  spruce  and  tir  of  all  sizes,  suitable 
either  for  the  erection  of  houses  or  the  const rui'tion  of  Ncsstds. 
From  information  obtainc^d  at  Codroy,  little  doubt  exi-^ts  that 
I'oal  may  be  procured,  and  that  without  nnich  dilliculty,  toward 
the  eastern  end  of  the  river.  Lying  to  the  northwai'il  of  the 
valuable  tract  of  land  above  referred  to,  is  found  a  range  of 
hilly  ground,  admirably  ada|)ted  for  grazing,  its  natural 
prodiu'tions  consisting  of  herbage,  which  early  in  the  summer 
attains  a  height  of  betvveen  two  ami  tln'e(>  feet."  .  .  .  "In 
closiiiir   the  remarks   on  this  river,  it  is  doiny;  no  more  than 


I    i\ 


Hit 


!.*!' ; 


mm 


\  , 


'1    s 


ii! 


310 


NE  WFO  VXD  LA  ND. 


::l! 


justic.)  to  say  that  it  would  be  difficult  to  imagine  a  more 
l)cautiful  or  picturesque  scene  than  the  whole  presents  ;  and 
whether  with  reference  to  the  soil  around  it,  to  its  fisheries,  or 
to  its  L'cogi-aphical  situation,  forming  as  it  does  part  of  the 
Northern  Head,  and  therefore  commanding  the  entrance  to  the 
Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  a  more  desirable  and  important  place  for 
a  settlement  could  scarcely  be  found." 

An  intelligent  farmer  from  Prince  Ivlward  Island  was  ship- 
wrecked, a  few^'ears  ago,  at  Codroy  Ish  nd,  and  was  compelled 
to  pass  the  winter  in  Codroy  Valley.  On  his  return  home,  he 
published  in  a  newspaper  an  account  of  his  experience,  from 
which  the  following  is  an  extract:  "You  may  judge  of  the 
richness  of  these  Codroy  lands  by  the  fact,  that  at  the  homestead 
where  I  passed  the  wmter,  a  farm  of  not  more  than  fifteen  acres 
of  roughly-cultivated  land  supported  a  stock  of  twenty  head 
of  cattle  and  thirt3'-iive  sheep,  wholly  uj)on  haj-.  Along  the 
'intervals'  I  passed  over  rich  fields  where  clover  had  been 
grown  luxuriantly  for  more  than  thirty  years,  without  manure, 
and  with  no  sign  of  decay  or  loss  to  the  soil.  Even  the 
neighboring  uplands  seem  equally  inexhaustil)le  in  fertility, 
giving  no  sign  of  wearing  out,  though  they  have  been  cropped, 
year  after  year,  without  manm'e,  since  they  were  settled. 
Indeed,  the  manure-heaps  are  considered  an  encumbrance  by 
the  farmers  there.  Observing  largo  and  imsightly  h(!ai)s  of 
stable  manure,  which  had  bcjen  accumulating  foi'  thirty  years, 
as  1  was  told,  I  asked  one  of  the  farmers  why  he  did  not  tiu'n 
the  manure  to  account,  lie  replied  that  their  hay-fields  had  no 
need  ol"  maiuu-e,  and  as  for  their  potato  lands,  any  manure  on 
them  would  choke  the  potatoes  with  clover.  Indeed,  these 
uplands  arc  so  rich  that  there  seems  no  doubt  that  they  are  of 
volcanic  origin." 

The  Ut.  l\ev.  Thomas  Sears,  who  has  lived  for  many  years 
in  this  district,  says:  "As  you  iisk  in  particular  for  the 
Codroy  l\iver,  suffice  it  hero  to  say,  that  the  range  of  good 
land  along  its  banks  is  sufficiently  broad  for  all  purposes  of 
forming  good  farms.  The  'iiiterval'  is  from  a  mile  to  two 
miles  wi<le.  The  valley  of  the  Codroy  is  in  most  places  con»- 
puted  at  from  ten  to  twelve  miles  wide,  mostly  comiiosed  of 


III 


ti 


THE  COD  ROY    VALLEY. 


311 


:;  a  moro 
nts  ;  and 
leries,  or 
t  of  the 
CO  to  the 
phiee  tor 

kVas  sliip- 
oiii[)ellcd 
home,  he 
ec,  t'rom 
3  of  the 
3iucst('ad 
een  acres 
nty  head 
.loni^  the 
liid  been 
man  lire, 
^veu  the 
fertility, 
cropi)ed, 
settled, 
ranee  ))y 
Iu!ap8  of 
ty  years, 
not  turn 
Is  liad  no 
mure  on 
id,  these 
iy  are  of 

ly  y(>!irs 
for  the 
of  good 
poses  of 
e  to  two 
,cos  et)ni- 
[)osed  of 


excellent  land.  The  length  of  the  valley  is  about  forty  miles 
altogether.  There  arc  of  course  some  marshes,  as  in  all 
countries,  and  some  plots  of  stony  ground,  but  nothing  to 
impede  fanning  operations  on  an  extensive  scale.  In  the 
'  interval,'  and  even  the  major  part  of  the  <:ood  u})land,  there 
arc  scarcely  any  stones.  The  wood  is  abundant  and  of 
excellent  quality.  The  l)irch,  which  is  plentiful,  is  an  excellent 
article  of  fuel,  besides  its  well-known  use  for  ship-l)uilding." 

Regarding  minerals  and  other  economical  materials  of  the 
Codroy  valleys,  Mr.  Murray  sa^'s :  "  The  coal  rocks  were;  per- 
ceived to  1)0  distributed  along  the  base  of  the  Capo  Kay 
mountains  wherever  visited,  from  Trevaia  Brook  to  the  ui)per 
forks  of  the  Great  Codroy.  Near  the  junction  of  the  coal 
measures  with  the  gneiss,  on  the  Great  Codroy  River,  some 
bands  of  a  very  ferruginous  character  were  observed.  These 
bands  are  of  a  reddish-brown  color,  are  hard,  brittle,  and  with 
conchoidal  fracture,  the  In'oken  surface  pnv.enting  occasionally 
a  metallic  lustre."  ....  "  Some  beautiful  specimens  of  mag- 
netic iron  were  procured  from  the  noighlorhood  of  the  Cairn 
Mountain,  near  Flat  Brook,  which,  judging  from  the  (juantity 
distributed  over  the  ground,  is  probably  derived  from  a  large 
and  imi)ortant  mass  in  the  neighborhood."'  ....  "Gypsum," 
]Mr.  ^Murray  adds,  "abounds  in  the  lower  part  of  the  carbo- 
niferous system,  and  is  largely  developed  on  the  coa^t  neai" 
Codroy  and  in  Bay  St.  George.  Tlui  vast  masses  which  coujo 
out  in  the  clill's  between  Codroy  Island  and  the  Cireat  Codroy 
River  can  hardly  fail  to  prove,  some  day,  of  great  value  and 
imi)ortance."  ....  "Admirable  building-stone  is  found  on 
Codroy  Island,  in  the  section  between  the  (ireat  and  Little 
Codroy  Rivers,  and  on  the  Great  Codroy  Riv(!r.  Some  of  the 
sandstone  beds  of  the  coal  formation  on  the  Great  Codroy 
River  would  produce  good  scythe-stones."  Limestone  beds, 
he  also  describes  as  "occurring  op  the  coaf't  near  Codroy,  and 
thence  cropping  out  at  intervals  near  the  right  bank  of  the 
Great  Codroy." 

A  traveller  from  Cape  Breton  who  recently  visited  this 
region  says:  "Tlie  land  is  scarcely  suqjassiid  by  any  of  the 
Lower  Provinces  for  its  fertility.     We  travelled  about  twenty- 


'  '«: 


\nm 


m 


!!.^      <! 


iji  ?■ 


m^ 


N:l 


in 


I  ! 


M 


iii 


f| 


11 

I' 


312 


KE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


four  miles  above  this  ])eautiful  and  romantic  river.  There  is  a 
range  of  good  upland  extending  some  nine  miles  above  the 
settlement.  This  is  studded  with  birch,  spruce,  and  iir. 
Then  commences  what  is  called  the 'Big  interval.'  This  great 
tract  of  rich  land  I  travelled  for  about  tiftecn  miles  either  side 
of  the  river,  some  places  extending  over  a  mile  in  width.  The 
extent  and  appeararce  of  this  splendid  'interval'  struck  me  so 
forcibly  that  I  stopped  to  examine  carefully  the  nature  of  the 
soil.  I  could  see  aionij  the  banks  that  the  soil  was  cxceedinirlv 
good,  and  four  feet  in  depth,  M'hile  the  grass,  balsam,  and  Balm 
of  (lilead  trees,  and  tall  alders  gave  proof  of  its  surpassing 
fertility."  .  .  .  .  "  As  I  ascended  the  mountain,  previous  to 
coming  into  the  valley  of  Bay  St.  George,  I  took  a  survey  of 
this  vast  and  maguiticent  valley,  and  the  same  grand  and  pleasing 
sight  was  presented  to  view,  unbroken  by  l)arrens  or  rocks,  till 
the  siglit  was  lost  amid  the  dark  and  gloomy  forest  which, 
rolled  in  its  sombre  green,  seemed  to  mourn  the  neglect  in  which 
the  vale  below  was  left." 

The  foregoing  statements  prove  'hat  in  the  Codroy  valleys 
there  is  a  tract  of  exceedingly  fertile  land,  of  very  considerable 
extent,  easily  reclaimed,  having  a  favorable  climate,  enormous 
development  of  gypsum  and  limestone  beds,  with  indiciitionsof 
coal  and  minerals  and  tine  timber  ;  in  fact,  that  the  valley  is  rich  in 
all  that  can  minister  to  man's  comfort  and  material  progress. 
From  ten  to  twelve  thousand  people  might  find  a  comfortable 
home  here.  It  is  now  occupied  by  a  few  hundreds  of  settlers  ; 
while  thousands  of  emigrants  are  constantly  passing  within  sight 
of  it,  to  seeksettlen\ents  in  less  promising  regions,  thousands  of 
miles  farther  west. 


f( 


?'i 


oil' 


here  is  a 
bovc  the 
and  fir. 
his  groat 
ther  side 
th.  The 
L'k  me  so 
■o  of  the 
ccdinirly 
iiid  Bahn 
irpassing 
ivious  to 
urvcy  of 
pleasing 
3cks,  till 
which, 
in  which 

T  valleys 
iiderable 
lormous 
itions  of 
is  rich  in 
)rojjress. 
ifor  table 
settlors  ; 
lin  sight 
sands  of 


THE  BAY  OF   ST.    GEORGE. 


313 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE  BAY  OF   ST.   GEORGE   AND   THE  TVT.STERN  COUNTRY. 

Capabilities  of  the  district  for  settlement  —  Mr.  Murray  ami  Mr.  Jukes  on  the 
])ro(luctivencss  of  the  soil  —  Vast  tracts  of  unoecui)ieil  lands  —  Moiisei,t;neur 
Sears  gives  the  results  of  a  settler's  experii'nces  —  Room  for  thousands  of 
farms  on  "The  Barrens  " — Dr.  Bell  on  the  climate — The  Bay  of  Islands 
and  the  Ilumher  district. 

About  tl.irty-live  miles  to  the  north  of  Codroy  is  the  fine  Bay 
of  St.  George,  More  proijorly  it  might  be  called  a  gulf,  being 
forty  miles  wide  at  its  entrance,  ;ind  tifty  miles  in  length.  It  is 
long  and  tapering,  and  receives  at  its  head  and  along  its  south- 
ern shore  numerous  streams  and  rivers.  A  long,  low  tongue  of 
land  runs  out  at  the  south  side  of  the  head  of  the  ba}',  formiiig 
an  excellent  harbor.  INIore  thtm  acpiartiU"  of  a  century  ago  Uie 
sui'veyor-genenil  of  the  day  paid  a  prof(^ssional  visit  to  lhi>  re- 
gion, with  the  viowofroportingon  itscapabiliticf.  lie  estimatcMl 
that  it  was  capable  of  supporting  in  comfort  from  one  to  two 
hundred  thousand  inhal)itants.  "  The  soil,"  he  said,  "is  deep  and 
rich,  tmd  when  the  trees  and  stumps  are  I'omoved  from  it  lo 
further  obstacles  e.xi^t  to  prevent  the  land  being  at  oncebroi  it 
under  the  plough;  while  the  husbandman  has  at  hand  lime  no 
and  gyi)sinn  sullicicnt  for  the  most  extensive  farming operalnais, 
and  in  addition  to  which  help,  a  most  valuable  manure  miv  be 
collected  idmost  to  any  extent."  He  ctdculiited  that  the  ox{H,'n8e 
ofclcaringground  lu'rc  woidd  not  exceed  forty  shillings  j    r  acre. 

Mr.  Murray  has  estimated  that  the  extent  of  land  in  St. 
George's  Bay,  available  t'or  settlement,  is  two  lunulrcd  and 
twenly-tivo  s(iuare  miles,  or  one  hundred  and  forty-two  thou- 
sand (!ight  hundred  s(iuare  ac-res.  In  addition  to  this  he  sa^'s : 
"On  the  north  shore  of  the  bay  there  is  a  considerable  area  of 
tin(^  agricultural  country,  e(iual  to  nineteen  thousand  tw"  1  un- 
dred  scjuaro  acres."  .  .  .  .  "  The  present  settlement  of  thia  fino 


!     ■  I, 


*^  'i 


>     1    '1 


i4 


314 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


region  is  limited  to  some  strai^gling  fiirms  along  the  eotist,  on 
either  side  of  the  l)ay,  on  which  excellent  crops  of  grass, 
potatoes,  and  turnips  are  raised.  Winter  wheat  has  1)een  suc- 
cessfully grown  on  the  north  side  of  the  bay.  The  valleys 
around  the  l)ay  are  for  the  most  part  well  wooded,  producing 
in  many  instances  huge  pines,  juniper  or  tamarack,  tine  yellow 
l)irch,  and  other  valuable  linih<;r."  ....  "North-eastward 
from  the  terminating  point  of  the  Cape  Anguille  Mountains, 
tlie  M'hole  country  l)etween  the  coast  and  the  Long  Kange  is  of 
a  flat  or  undulatory  character,  densely  covered  with  forest  trees, 
except  in  such  parts  as  have  ))een  swept  by  tire,  or  occasional 
tracts  of  marsh.  The  trees  of  this  forest  consist  of  white  and 
yellow  birch,  spruce  and  balsam  fir,  poplar,  and  tamarack  or 
larch."  ....  "  Much  of  the  timber  of  this  great  plateau  is  very 
large.  Trees  of  3'ellow  and  white  birch  are  frequently  met 
with,  and  particularly  on  the  river  flats,  having  a  diameter  of 
three  feet  and  even  more,  many  of  which  are  tall  and  straight, 
resemlding  the  hard-wood  forests  of  Canada;  spruces,  balsams, 
poplars,  and  tamaracks  also  reach  a  maximum  size,  and  seem 
to  be  of  excellent  quality."  .  .  .  .  "  All  these  streams  take 
their  rise  among  the  l)arreu  wastes  of  the  Long  Kanire  Moun- 
tains,  but  the  lower  reaches  of  each,  for  distances  varying  from 
twelve  to  twenty  miUss,  flow  through  richlj^-wooded  and  fertile 
valleys,  intersecting  the  plateau  just  described.  These  valleys, 
and  nmch  of  the  higher  lands,  now  primeval  wilderness,  ai)pear 
to  be  nearly  in  every  resi)ect  well  adapted  for  agricultural 
settlement.  By  deducting  the  tract  occupied  by  the  Angu.ille 
range  of  hills,  amounting  to  two  hundred  and  fiti^>'-six  s(|uare 
miles,  which  is  too  high  and  steep  for  ordinary  tillage, 
although  well  suited  as  runs  for  sheep  or  cattle,  the  remainder 
of  the  block,  viz.,  five  hundred  and  sixty  s<|uare  miles,  is  cer- 
tainly to  a  large  extent  reclaimabh' ;  and  there  can  be  l)ut  little 
doubt  that  the  construction  of  roads,  which  must  necessarily  be 
the  consequence  of  occupation,  together  with  the  clearing  of  the 
forest,  will  lead  to  mineral  discoveries  of  vast  importance  to  the 
colony."  ....  "Tracts  of  considerable  extent  upon  the  coast, 
and  nearly  all  the  valleys  of  the  principal  streams,  bear  a  soil 
of  the  most  fertile  description,  which  is  even  already  shown  by 


m 


TJlli  BAY  OF  ST.    GEORGE. 


315 


the  few  and  rudely  cultivated  spots  here  and  there,  where  the 
produee  in  grass,  green  crops,  and  even  cereals,  are  all  first- 
ehibs  both  in  quantity  and  quality.  And  this  in  a  country 
where  tiiere  is  no  evidence  of  a  plough,  a  harrow,  or  a  wheeled 
vehicle  of  any  kind  whatever !"....  "  Large  tracts  of 
extremely  line  land  extend  up  the  valleys  for  many  miles. 
The  richness  of  the  soil  at  this  part  of  the  coast  is  proI)al)ly  due 
to  the  calcareous  material  derived  from  the  adjacent  mountains, 
together  with  the  disintegration  of  the  trappean  rocks,  of  which 
the  sul)soil  is  composed." 

So  far  back  as  1840  the  late  iNIr.  Jukes,  the  distinguished 
geologist,  visited  St.  George's  Bay  and  was  much  inqjressed 
with  the  beauty  of  its  scenery  and  its  agricultural  ca[)abilities. 
lie  described  the  country  as  "gently  undulating,  witli  a  fine 
short  turf,  not  unlike  some  English  landscapes."  From  a 
rising  ground,  at  a  spot  where  he  landed,  he  saw  "  a  tract  of 
low,  undulating  land,  covered  with  a  rich  sea  of  w  ./;!.  stretch- 
ing away  into  the  interior  for  fifteen  or  twenty  i.il-s,  backed 
by  a  range  of  blue  hills  in  the  horizon,  that  rose;  toward  the 
south-west,  while  toward  the  north-east  they  died  away  and 
coalesced  with  the  hills  at  the  head  of  the  bay."  The  rich- 
looking  valley,  with  its  bright  waters  winding  away  into  the 
woods,  he  describes  as  "  completing  a  most  lovely  and  most 
English  picture." 

Mo:iseigneur  Sears,  wId  h:i>  l.ibored  incessantly  for  the  good 
and  improvement  of  this  n^gion  and  its  people,  says  of  St. 
George's  Bay:  "As  the  soil  here  is  surpassingly  productive, 
especially  in  the  gro^vth  of  various  grasses,  I  believe  there  is  no 
country  in  our  latitude  to  surpass  it  for  grazing  sheep  or  cattle. 
Of  course  the  land  will  have  to  be  cleared  befort;  tlu're  is  much 
facilit}'-  for  grazing,  although  in  many  places  near  the  salt-water 
there  are  large  tracts  already  yielding  grass.  I  find  that  all 
over  Cape  St.  George,  and  the  sea-coast  in  general,  wherever 
the  trees  are  removed,  either  by  tire,  wind,  or  other  tauses,  a 
spontaneous  growth  of  grass  sin'ings  up.  The  grass  is  good  for 
grazing  ;  and  even  when  protected  yields  a  good  crop  of  hay." 
Monseigneur  Sears  gives  an  instance  of  a  settler  on  a  river  run- 
niu"-  into  the  bay,  who,  having  cleared  one  square  mile  of  land, 


i    ■     -  '.■  I 


•< 


h! 


iii'' 


(I, , 


310 


NE  WFO  UXDLAND. 


raised  on  this  (juaiitlt}',  the  followinir  year,  two  hundriHl  and 
forty  tons  of  excellent  hay.  The  river  on  which  this  settler  is 
located  is  lifteen  miles  in  length,  and  the  land  is  e(jually  good 
through  its  entire  extoHt.  In  the  more  favored  localities  he 
says  there  arc  meadows  giving  hay  for  the  last  nineteen  years, 
without  getting  a  particle  of  nKuunx-,  and  the  nineteenth  crop 
is  better  than  the  tirst.  "To  m}'  own  knowledge,"  he  says, 
"there  arc  plains  on  cither  side  of  the  Day  of  St.  George,  some 
thirty  or  forty  miles  long,  and  in  some  places  tiftcen  or  twenty 
miles  wid(!,  ti-averscd  by  rivers,  and  (juitc  as  fertile  as  the  one 
I  have  described.  The  hay  is  so  good  that  it  sold  at  St. 
Pierre  for  £8  per  ton.  The  wood  is  a])undant  and  of  excellent 
quality,  csi)ccially  the  ))irch  for  fuel  and  shii)-building.  There 
is  another  tree  lierc  called  the  l)alm-tree.  It  grows  so  luxuri- 
antly on  the '  Long  interval '  tracts  of  the  river  margins  that,  viewed 
from  a  distance,  this  tine-looking  tree  reminds  one  of  the  oak 
forests  of  the  Old  AVorld,  ()rthemai)le  groves  of  the  neighboring 
cnionies.  Tlie  timber  is  very  light,  something  like  that  of  the 
aspen,  and  is  as  soft  to  cut  as  the  cedar.  For  inside  work  it 
combines  the  gloss  or  i)()lish  of  hard-wood  with  the  facility  of 
being  worked  or  dressed  peculiar  to  pine.  It  covers  hundreds 
of  acres,  anu  /rows  to  a  size  of  three  or  four  feet  in  diameter." 
One  more  tv'-«timony  regarding  this  region  may  l)e  referred 
to, — that  of  John  Bell,  M.A.,  IM.l).,  of  Montreal,  who  visit<'d 
tlu!  west  coast,  and  described  it  intlu;  "Canadian  Naturalist  "  for 
1S7<).  lie  says:  "Along  the  river  fhits,  in  the  valleys  and  on 
'the  barrens,'  when  these  ai-e  drained  and  the  country  is  a 
little  more  cleared,  there  will  l)c  room  for  thousands  of  farms, 
and  the  hills  will  allbi'd  walks  for  immense  flocks  of  sheep,  and 
j)asture  for  countless  herds  of  cattle,  the  surplus  of  all 
which  will  find  a  ready  market  at  the  ports  and  fishing-stations, 
at  th(^  lumbering,  mamifacturing,  and  mining  establishments 
which  ere  long  will  make  this  old  and  neglected  colony  one  vast 
scene  of  active  and  profitable  industry.  The  climat«  of  the  island 
is  favorable  to  the  dcveloi»ment  of  its  agricultural  resources 
of  every  kind.  Instead  of  the  cold,  f'-^^^y  atmosphere,  which  is 
generally  supposed  to  hang  over  the  island,  quite  the  reverse  is 
the  case.     The  air  is  clear  and  Avarm,  aiid  the  temperature  dur- 


THE  BAY  OF  ST.    GEORGE. 


317 


ijig  the  year  reiuarkiibly  e(|iuil)le,  the  mercury  in  winter  seldom 
fulliu'r  below  zero  of  Fahrenheit's  scale,  or  in  sunnncr  risinjjr 
above  eighty  degrees  :  while  the  mean  temperature  of  the  ycwv  is 
about  forty-four  degrees.  1  never  saw  liner  weather  than  dur- 
ing the  two  months  1  was  on  the  island.  It  is  only  on  tin; 
south-west  corner  that  fogs  prevail  to  any  extent,  from  the 
proximity  of  that  i)art  to  the  Gulf  Stream." 

In  addition  to  its  agricultural  capal)ilities.  Bay  St.  George 
has  valuable  fisheries  near,  and  to  these  the  attention  of  the 
inhabitants  is  largely  directed.  Herrings  are  abuntlant.  Kvcry 
man  takes  as  many  as  he  thinks  he  can  cure.  AI>out  thirty 
th(jusand  barrels  are  exported  annually.  Cod,  .-almon,  and 
smelt  are  also  taken. 

St.  George's  Bay  is  further  noticeable  as  containing  on  its 
shores  the  most  extensive  and  promising  coal-tield,  which  Mr. 
Jukes  estimated  to  be  twenty-iive  miles  wide  and  ten  miles  in 
length.  He  found  a  seam  of  excellent  Cannel  coal  here,  three 
feet  in  thickness  at  the  outcrop.  A^'e  reserve  further  aicoinit 
of  this  coal-tield  for  the  chapter  on  the  mineral  wi>alth  of  the 
island.  ]Ma<>netic  iron  has  been  found  near  Cairn  ^lounlain, 
in  St.  George's  Bay. 

North  of  St.  George's  Bay  extends  the  small  peninsula  of 
Port-a-Bort,  between  it  and  the  Bay  of  Islands.  Tlu.'  few 
settlers  here  live  chielly  by  farming,  the  land  being  in  inany 
places  well-wooded  and  good  for  agricultural  jjurposi's.  The 
settlements  are  at  West  Point,  Isthmus  Cove,  Kast  Bay,  and 
Fox  Island.  The  inhabitants  have  a  considerable  number  of 
cattle  and  sheep,  and  employ  themselves  during  the  winter 
months  in  making  staves  and  herring-barrels,  which  tluy  dispose 
of  to  traders  going  \o  the  Bay  of  Ishuids,  where  there  is  a  large 
herriuix  lisherv.  The  best  harbor  is  that  of  Piccadilh'.  The 
peninsula  is  but  very  inii)erf(,'ctly  known.  The  mineral  indica- 
tions are  of  the  most  })romising  character.  The  ores  of  lead 
and  coi)per  have  been  met  with  in  such  (juantities  and  positions 
as  to  warrant  the  ex[)ectation  of  the  district  being  one  day  a 
mining  centre.  A  lead  mine  was  oi)encd  here  a  number  of 
years  since,  under  the  most  favorable  aus[)ices,  l)ut  had  to  be 
discontinued,  as  the   im[)erial  authorities  —  inlluenceil    I)y  the 


Jif 


!t 


^  I      :!| 


ft! 


m 


-t^ii 


1  '3':  & 


318 


NEWFOUXDLAND. 


\l-     i 


protests  of  the  French,  mIio  considered  their  fishery  privileijes 
iiiv!i(l(Ml  —  prohibited  the  further  working  of  this  industry. 
This  state  of  thinu's  has  now  ceased  to  exist,  and  niiuina-  i:rants 
can  jiow  be  issued  anywhere  by  tlie  local  government  of  the 
ishnid. 

About  tifty  miles  from  the  north  head  of  St.  George's  Hay, 
the  Bay  of  Islands  opens,  being  fifteen  miles  wide  at  its  en- 
trance, where  it  is  studded  with  lofty  Islands.  This  line  region, 
only  second  in  imi)ortance  to  Buy  St.  George,  in  regard  to  its 
agricultural  cai)a])ilities,  its  fisheries,  and  its  mineral  and  limber 
wealth,  contains  as  yet  but  few  inhabitants,  who  are  scattered 
along  the  banks  of  the  IIuml)er  Sound  and  IJiver.  The  bay  is 
spacious  and  easy  of  access,  its  depth  being  about  fifteen  miles, 
and  the  anchora<je  safe  and  <jood  on  the  southern  side.  There 
are  several  arms  extending  from  its  eastern  side,  but  these  arc 
as  3'^et  little  known.  The  most  iuiportant,  however,  is  that  arm 
which  is  known  as  the  1  lumber  Sound,  ext (hiding  from  the 
south-eastern  i)art  of  the  bay,  about  twenty-eight  miles  easterly 
into  the  country,  with  a  width  of  more  than  two  miles.  At  its 
head  is  th((  mouth  of  the  fine  Kiver  llumber,  the  second  largest 
river  in  the  island.  A  nmge  of  hills  called  the  lilo-mi-don 
Hills,  from  eight  hundred  to  a  thousand  feet  high,  rises  to  the 
south  of  the  Soimd.  On  a[)proaching  the  lluml>er  their  height 
anil  abruptness  gradually  level  down  until,  on  the  banks  of  this 
nobh;  river,  they  do  not  rise  iiigher  than  three  hundred  feet, 
while  they  present  to  the  eye  a  rich  clothing  of  the  most  varied 
foliage,  that  goes  down  to  the  water's  edge.  This,  however, 
does  not  hold  good  on  the  first  or  lower  course  of  the  river, 
which  passes  through  a  narrow  gorge  nearly  three  miles  in 
length,  having  on  each  side  lofty  crags,  which  in  some  ))laces 
shoot  u})  perpendicularly  from  the  water's  edge  to  the  height 
of  a  thousand  feet.  In  flowing  through  this  gorge  the  river  is 
in  some  places  pent  up  to  less  than  a  chain  in  width,  the  current 
being  deei)  and  strong.  Three  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the 
river  a  slight  rapid  is  mc^t,  which  is  easily  passed  at  high  spring- 
tides. Al)0ve  this  ra})id  the  llumber  opens  out  wide,  flowing 
through  a  beautiful  and  [)icturesque  valley,  from  three  to  seven 
miles  in  width,  with  fine  flat  land  on  either  side.     "Within  a 


THE  BAY  OF  ST.    GEORGE. 


311) 


mile  of  the  lowor  end  of  Deer  Lake,  wlilch  is  twelve  miles  frdin 
the  month  of  the  river,  a  second  rapid  is  met,  considerably 
stronirer  than  the  first,  over  which  a  boat  can  be  readily  taken 
l)y  trackinir,  and  whi'  h  presents  but  a  sliujht  impediment  to  the 
safe  transit  of  rafts  of  timber  from  the  lake  to  the  sound.  The 
rise  from  the  sea  to  the  level  of  Deer  Lake,  Mr.  Murray  found 
to  be  onl}'  ten  feet.  Deer  Lake,  through  which  the  Ilumber 
flows,  is  fifteen  miles  in  Icnirth  and  three  in  bri-adth.  Around 
it.  espceiall}'  to  the  eastward  and  northward,  is  a  line  ex[)anso 
of  Hat  rollinof  country,  reachinir  away  in  the  former  direction* 
towards  (irand  Lake.  "The  land  surrounding  Deer  Lake," 
says  the  surveyor-general  already  (juoted,  "is  of  the  most  fei'tilo 
desciiption,  bearing  on  its  surface  pines  measuring  from  three 
to  four  feet  in  diameter,  Avith  l)irch  of  hardl}'  inferior  dimen- 
sions, and  ))oth  these  kinds  existing  in  great  quantities,  and 
Avith  such  water-power  within  reach  as  would  seem  to  invite  the 
establishment  of  saw-mills,  and  at  the  s;  ue  time  to  insure 
success  to  such  an  enteri)rise."' 

The  Kiver  Ilumber  is  aI)out  one  hundred  and  fourteen  miles  in 
lenii'th,  and  flows  through  a  beautiful  and  fertile  tract  of  country, 
which  ere  long,  by  the  extension  of  the  railway  system,  will  be 
populated,  its  valleys  waving  with  the  yellow  harvest  and  its 
hills  covered  with  browsing  herds.  The  diflicidties  presented 
by  the  rapids  already  referred  to  could  easily  l)0  removed  were 
the  country  settled  ;  and  if  this  were  done,  vessels  of  consid- 
erable size  and  small  steamers  could  reach  Deer  Lake. 

All  who  have  visited  the  Iluujber  di>  let  speak  highly  of  its 
resources.  The  soil  is  dee^)  and  fertile,  and  cai)able  of  yielding 
excellent  crops  of  all  kinds.  Limestone  can  be  easily  procured, 
and  to  any  extent,  for  agricultural  purposes.  Tiie  surveyor- 
general  says:  "From  the  resour-r-;  which  this  part  of  our 
island  ])Ossesses  in  its  lierring,  salmon,  and  cod-fishery,  coui)led 
Avith  the  great  extent  of  land  wi,: 'h  only  re(]uires  the  ordinary 
care  of  the  agriculturist  to  insure  a  [•r()lital)le  return,  it  may 
not  l»c  extravagant  to  say  that  from  a  hundred  thousand  to  two 
hundred  thousand  persons  could  be  readily  located  there,  who 
would  be  i)Iai'ed  in  such  circumstances  and  surrounded  with 
such  resources  as  would  gutu-antec  to  the  sober  and  industrious 


:.  T^^' 


n 


I       ! 


iijlii 


5    9 


M 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


<? 


* 


1.0    If  1^  1^ 


I.I 


IIII.25 


^  1^    III  2.2 
12.0 


U 


—.    6" 


1.6 


V] 


V] 


>.^ 


^;j 


V 


/A 


Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


\ 


;\ 


\ 


V 


^y. 


•^^ 


& 


^ 

l<^^ 


w 


z 


I 


15 


I 


320 


NE  WFO  UNDLAXD. 


% 
1" 


settlor  a  comfortal)le  maintenance."  Mr.  Murray  estimates 
the  extent  of  land  more  or  le'^s  available  for  settlements  on  the 
route  through  which  he  passed  at  two  hundred  and  fifty  thou- 
sand square  acres.  "  Thousands  of  square  miles,"  he  remarked 
in  his  report,  "  have  been  laid  out  in  townships,  and  alieady 
partially  settled,  in  Canada,  either  for  the  purpose  of  lumbering 
or  farming,  on  the  northern  shores  of  Lake  Huron  and  many 
parts  of  the  Lower  Provinces,  far  inferior  in  most  respects  to 
this  region  of  Newfoundland,  which,  there  can  scarcely  be  a 
doubt,  is  capable  of  supporting  a  very  large  population."  In 
this  valley  of  the  IIum])er  many  thousands  might  find  employ- 
ment in  agriculture,  while  those  living  on  the  lower  reaches  of 
the  river  and  on  the  banks  of  the  Sound  could  combine 
fishing,   lumbering,  and  ship-building  with  farming. 

In  the  fine  country  around  Deer  Lake  there  is  but  a  single 
settler  —  a  courageous  farmer  from  Capo  Breton,  who  with  his 
family  ventured  into  this  solitude  a  few  years  ago.  The  present 
■writer,  when  on  an  excursion  to  Grand  Lake,  in  1878,  met 
this  lonely  pioneer,  whose  nearest  neighbors  were  some  twenty 
or  thirty  miles  ofi'.  lie  descril)ed  the  country  around  Deer 
Lake  as  superior  to  any  he  had  seen  in  Nova  Scotia  or  Cape 
Breton.  The  extent  of  good  land  he  estimated  at  thirty-three 
miles  in  length,  and  with  a  breadth  varying  from  three  to  five 
miles,  all  of  it  perfectly  level.  The  soil  is  a  deep  sandy  loam, 
and,  for  the  growth  of  root-cr()i)s,  cannot  bo  surpassed.  lie  had 
grown  potatoes  which  weighed  each  three  pounds  ;  parsnips  and 
carrots  twenty-two  inches  in  length  ;  and  beans  and  peas  one 
third  larger  than  the  same  kinds  grown  in  Nova  Scotia.  He 
had  raised  a  small  (juantity  of  wheat  as  an  experiment,  and 
found  it  (piite  eipial  to  Canadian  wheat.  Clover  and  buckwheat 
also  grew  luxuriantly,  and  he  found  the  soil  specially  favor- 
able to  the  growth  of  llax.  He  thought  the  soil  would  suit 
fruit-trees.  The  "interval"  land  along  the  river  made  excellent 
meadow  y:round.  Ilav  could  be  cut  here  from  the  natural 
grasses.  The  timl)er,  he  said,  was  large  —  chiefly  pine,  spruce, 
birch,  and  lir. 

The  Humber  district  contains  some  of  the  finest  timber  in 
the  island,  which  will  be  more  minutely  referred  to  when  the 


THE  BAY  OF  ST.    GEORGE. 


321 


forests  come  to  be  noticed.  Coal  beds  are  1)erK'ved  to  exist  in 
the  neij^hborhood  of  (irand  Lake.  Marbles  of  all  kinds  occur 
at  various  parts  of  the  Bay  of  Islands.  More  details  of  these 
are  given  in  another  part  of  this  volume,  and  also  of  tin;  s})lendid 
lierring-tishery  of  the  l)ay,  which  is  one  of  the  tinest  to  be  met 
with,  the  (juality  of  the  herring  being  ecjual  to  those  taken  on 
the  coast  of  Lal)rador. 

.North  of  the  Bay  of  Islands  another  fine  bay  opens,  named 
r)Oinie  Bay.  It  has  not  been  surveyed,  and  is  but  very  im[)er- 
fectly  known.  Casual  visitors  report  a  large  extent  of  good  land 
es[)ecially  suital)le  for  grazing  purposes.  Those  who  have 
attempted  to  cultivate  the  soil  si)eak  highly  of  its  fertility. 
Tlien^  is  here  a  lino  herring-tishery,  and  on  that,  with  salmon 
and  cod,  the  inhabitants  chietiv  subsist. 

Of  the  climate  of  Western  Newfoundland  the  surveyor- 
iXcneral  savs :  "To  i)ersons  visitinij:  the  western  shores  of 
Newfoundland,  after  having  been  accjiuiinted  with  the  eastern 
and  southern,  the  diHerence  of  climate  between  tlie>e  two 
j)laces  and  the  dill'erent  ell'ects  produced  on  the  weather  by  the 
winds  become  at  once  most  ai)parent.  The  southern  shore  is 
fve(juently  enveloped  in  fog,  and  the  eastern,  though  not  subject 
to  that  visitation  to  an  eijual  extent,  yet  does  the  easterly  wind 
alnu)st  always  bring  to  the  eastern  shore  cold  and  disagreeable 
M'eather.  On  the  western  shore  fog  is  rarely  seen,  and  the 
climate  is  an  ameliorated  one." 

In  regard  to  the  mt)re  northern  bays  little  is  yet  known;  but 
casual  visitors  concur  in  declaring  that  at  the  heads  of  all 
tlu'se  bays  there  are  large;  stretches  of  good  land,  well  adapted 
for  settlement,  and  jjossessing  natui'al  advantages  of  great 
value. 

The  foreffoinj;  evidence  adduced  reirardiniif  ^V(■^tern  New- 
foimdland  shows  that  here  is  one  of  the  most  desirable  iields  for 
emigration  that  can  well  be  imagin«'d,  but  which  being  unknown 
is  iH'gloeted.  In  Codroy,  Bay  St.  (Jeorge,  Port-a-Port ,  and 
Bay  of  Islands,  together  with  the  Ilumber  district,  there  aic 
8')1,2(M)  acres  of  land  such  as  we  have  described,  iiwaiting  the 
axe,  the  plough,  and  th(>  s))ade.  Tlie  climate  is  favorable  to 
health  and  industrial  occupations.     The  character  of  the  tlistrict 


m 


m 


322 


NEWFOUXDLAXD. 


I      i 


is  such  that  u  variety  of  occupations  can  I)o  followed  l»y  the 
settlers — farininjj^,  hunhering,  niinini;,  shii)-l»uil(lin_ii;,  li>hiii^-, 
etc.  'I'he  projected  Great  American  and  European  Short 
Lino  Railway  wi'll  oi)en  up  the  whole  district,  and  i)lacc  it  in 
conununicatiou  with  the  outside  world,  sccurinjjr  ii  market  for 
the  various  products  of  industry.  There  is  nothing,  how(>ver, 
to  prevent  settlement  proceeding  at  present  in  advance  of  tiu; 
raiiwav,  i\\K:  dilliculties  heini;  far  fv'wer  than  tliose  encountereil 
by  settlers  who  face  the  prairi<?  or  tin;  forests  in  the  west  of  the 
United  States  and  Canada.  Be  it  rememhered,  too,  that  this 
region  is  within  tivo  days'  steaming  distance  of  the  Irish  coast. 
On<'e  its  attractions  are  thoroughly  known  it  can  iiardly  fail  to 
secure  a  considerahle  rill  from  th<!  i»reat  stream  of  emiirration 
now  flowing  from  the  Old  World  to  the  Xew. 


NOTRE  DAME  BAY. 


323 


CHAPTER  IV. 

NOTRE   DAME   BAY   AND   THE  EASTERN   DISTRICTS. 

TIk'  fiitun-  of  the  plain  that  will  u\w  day  uniti-  tiio  Iliinibcr  district  with  Notre 
Dame  Hay  —  A  splendid  streteh  of  eoiintry  —  Scenery  ecjual  t<»  that  of  the 
Enj;li,sh  and  Scotch  lakes  — Larjje  and  small  game  —  Red  Indian  Lake  and 
Wliite  Bay  —  The  fertile  helts  of  tiie  (JandiT  and  (iamiio  country  —  A  wil- 
derness that  might  be  "settled"  —  The  unpeopled  valley  of  the  Exploits 
—  Gander  River. 

From  the  Buy  of  I.slands,  oti  the  Mostorn  coast,  Xowfoundland 
can  1)0  crossed,  without  much  difHculty,  to  the  .shores  of  Notre 
Dame  Bay,  on  the  eastern  coast.  The  distance  from  the  head 
of  IIuml»er  Sound  to  the  head  of  Hall's  Bay,  an  tirm  of  Notre 
Dame  Btiy,  does  not  much  exceed  one  hundred  miles.  A  level 
})lain  at  this  point  extends  across  the  whole  island,  the  <;r(!atest 
height  of  land  between  the  two  opposite  shori's  of  the  island 
not  exceeding  one  hundred  feet.  Thus  a  railway  one  hundred 
miles  in  length,  for  the  construction  of  which  tdong  this  hjvel 
plain  there  are  the  greatest  facilities,  would  unite  the  fertile 
Humber  district  and  the  Bay  of  Islauds  with  Notre  Dame  Bay, 
the  great  mining  district  which  will  one  day  contain  a  dense 
population.  Such  a  railway  could  connnence  on  the  eastern 
side,  either  at  tlie  south-west  tirm  of  Green  Bay  or  at  Hall's 
Bay,  and  terminate  at  the  head  of  Humiter  Sound.  There  is  a 
splendid  stretch  of  coimtry  between  these  two  points,  the  land 
being  in  many  places  excellent,  the  timber  abundant  and  of 
large  size,  and  the  mineral  indications  at  many  points  such 
as  to  give  promise  of  injportant  discoveries.  Ten  or  twelve 
thousand  people  could  find  comfortable  homes  along  this  grt'at 
plain,  which  in  some  phices  attains  a  considerable  width,  but 
for  the  most  ptirt  docs  not  exceed  from  two  to  live  miles.  A 
chain  of  small  lakes,  with  rivers  tlowing  from  them,  extends 
from  Hall's  Bay  to  the  shores  of  Grand  Lake,  with  only  ono 


If 


I  j 


i 


324 


NEWFOUNDLANp. 


i 


portai^o  a  mile  wide.  By  followinir  these  rivers  and  lakes  a 
journey  aeross  is  greatly  facilitated.  From  Grand  Lake  tlie 
route  lies  aeross  a  [)ortage  of  nine  miles  in  width,  and  then  the 
Ilumher  River  is  reached,  Howing  through  Deer  Lake  into 
IIuml)(!r  Sound.  There  is  not  a  singh;  settler  in  this  vaUey 
whicU  stretches  across  the  island.  Were  it  settled,  and  a 
railway  or  ordinary  road  constructed,  there  would  be  a  never- 
failing  market  for  all  kinds  of  agricultural  i)roduce,  as  well  as 
for  timber  c''  all  kinds,  at  the  mines  of  Xotre  Dame  Bay.  The 
coal  tields  of  St.  George's  Bay  and  of  Grand  Lake  district 
would  supply  the  mines  with  coal  for  smelting  purposes  and 
domestic  use;  and  from  Notre  Dame  Bay  coal  could  he 
conveyed  to  St.  John's  and  other  towns  by  the  railway  which  is 
now  under  construction. 

The  scenery  along  this  route  from  Hall's  Bay  to  Grand  Lake 
is  in  many  places  ()eautii\il,  especially  on  the  lakes,  where  it  is 
often  as  picturesque  and  lovely  as  in  the  lake  country  of  Eng- 
land or  Scotland.  G;i!!ie  of  various  kinds  is  abundant,  and 
deer,  at  the  proper  season,  arc  to  be  met  with  in  large  numbers. 
In  l'S78  Mr.  Harvey  made  the  joiu-ney  across  in  company  vvith 
Sir  fJohn  Glover,  then  govei'uor  of  the  island,  and  a  small 
part\'.  He  has  given  an  account  of  the  excursion  in  a  [)amphlet 
entitled  "  Across  Xewfoundland  witii  the  Governor."  The 
route  lay  from  Hall's  Bay  up  Indian  lirook  navigated  in  canoes, 
through  Indian  Lake  till  the  portage,  or  "height  of  land,"  was 
reached,  whence  the  streams  How  westward,  then  Birch}' Lakes, 
Sandy  Lake,  and  Main  lirook  were  followed,  till  (irand  l^ake, 
tifty-four  miles  hmg,  was  reached,  and  some  time  was  spent  in 
exploring  its  shores.  The  following  extract  from  the  pamphlet 
above  referred  to  will  convey  some  idea  of  Grand  Lake  and  of 
the  feelings  its  scenery  awak(Mied  in  the  mind  of  the  writer:  — 

"The  shades  of  eveninsr  were  closinir  in  as  we  jrot  our  first 
glimpse  of  Grand  Lake,  and  a  very  beautiful  and  im[)ressive 
sight  it  was.  Near  its  mouth  the  river  takes  a  sudden  bend 
and  reveals  at  once  the  full  expanse*  of  the  blue  waters  of  the 
lake  in  which  it  loses  itself.  Our  expectations  were  wound  up 
to  the  highest  pitch  as  we  apjjroMched  this  noble  sheet  of  water, 
of  Nvhich  we  had  heard  so  nnich  but  which  so  few  had  visited. 


v: 


NOTRE  DAME  BAY. 


32'i 


To  comi)iirc  small  things  with  groat,  wo  had  boon  looking  out 
for  it  and  anticipating  a  .sight  of  it  with  soniothing  of  the  same 
feelings  which  Spoke  ex'perienced  when  he  mounted  the  last 
height  and  saw  the  magniticent  Victoria  Nyanza  stretching  away 
in  the  dim  distance  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reacli.  Wiiere  the 
river  enters  it  Grand  Lake  is  about  six  or  seven  miles  in  hryadth, 
and  with  the  encompassing  hills  gently  sloping  down  to  the 
water,  thickly  wooded,  and  Hashing  under  the  rays  of  the  set- 
ting sun  in  all  the  golden  glories  of  autunm,  and  the  bright 
waters  gently  heaving  under  the  evening  breeze,  the  sight  was 
enchanting.  Near  the  shore  the  bottom  is  comi)osed  of  bi:ight 
yellow  sand,  and  the  reflection  on  the  rip[)ling  surface  produces 
an  endless  succession  of  golden  s(]uares  and  circles  dazzlingly 
beautiful  in  appearance.  1  stood  on  the  shore  enjoying  the  tine 
sight  as  long  as  daylight  lasted,  and  watching  the  effect  of  the 
darkening  shadows  on  the  waters,  which,  as  the  breeze  died 
away,  became  like  molten  silver.  I  tried  to  picture  to  myself 
in  its  full  extent  this  great  watery  expanse  stretching  from 
where  I  stood  for  fifty-four  miles  towards  St.  Georg(!"s  Bay, 
and  grasping  in  its  two  arms  a  lofty  island  twenty-two  miles  in 
length,  thus  exceeding  the  famous  Lake  of  Geneva  i)y  nine  miles. 
Here  it  had  lain  eml)osomed  in  its  surrounding  hills,  its  silences 
unl)roken  save  by  the  shouts  of  the  Red  Men,  whose  wigwams 
are  no  longer  seen  on  its  shores,  or  by  the  wild  unearthly  note 
of  the  great  northern  diver  fishing  in  its  waters.  In  all  these 
Avoods  and  hills  stretching  away  in  one  direction  to  Red  Inaian 
Lake,  and  another  to  White  Bay,  there  was  not  a  single  track 
except  the  paths  beaten  by  the  deer  in  their  annual  migrations  ; 
and  in  the  whole  region  round  there  was  not  a  human  being  but 
the  few  composing  our  party. 

"  1  sat  down  on  the  trunk  of  a  pine  tree  that  had  been  washed 
up  by  the  waves,  and  gave  myself  up  to  the  si)irit  of  the  hour 
and  the  infiuence  of  the  scene.  The  shades  of  night  had  now 
darkened  the  hill-tops,  and  only  a  stray  breath  of  wind  i)layed 
on  the  surface  oi  the  lake.  The  stillness  had  in  it  something 
oppressive,  almost  painful.  There  were  no  warblers  to  fill 
the  woods  with  their  evening  song,  nor  even  the  hum  of  an 
insect  to  disturb  the  stillness.     In  vain  you  hold  your  breath  and 


Ml 


320 


.V^  WFO  UXDLA  XD. 


h 


I' 


I  > 


liston  intently  tor  tho  faintest  sonnd.  The  silence  wasiil)s()liit(>, 
and  had  a  peculiar  and  dcprcssiiiir  inthience  on  tho  foelinjrs.  To 
relieve  this  sonihre  mood  I  tried  to  picture  the  'jrood  time 
coniinir,'  when  the  <rreat  valley  strelehinij;  from  shore  to 
shore  will  he  tilled  with  a  busy,  prosperous  population;  when 
the  forests  will  ho  cleared  away,  and  smiling  corntields  and 
meadows  will  overspread  the  scene  ;  when  alon<j:  the  iron  road 
will  he  iilidinji:  the  chariots  of  tire  ;  when  those  blue  waves  will 
be  the  pathway  for  the  steamboat  with  its  trancpiil  motion  ;  and 
■when  'younjj;  men  and  maidens,  old  men  and  ehihhvn  '  will 
ininule  their  voices  here  in  sonirs  of  irladness.  It  seemed  tome 
as  I  jrazed  in  the  (hirkeninir twilight  at  lake  and  hill-tops,  woods 
and  sky,  as  if  the  utter  stillness  was  prophetic  of  human 
api)roach  —  as  if  our  little  band  was  to  1)e  the  pioneer  of  the 
great  wave  of  civilization,  the  l)oom  of  M'hich  I  seemed  to  hear 
along  the  newly-laid  telegraph-wire  which  now  pierced  these 
forests.  Tho  dead  and  dreary  stillness  became  vocal  to  my  ear, 
and  whisi)ered  that  man,  the  lord  of  creation,  the  mighty  king 
and  concjueror,  was  coming  to  make  all  things  new  ;  to  build 
the  great  city,  to  erect  tho  monuments  of  human  culture,  to 
make  this  now  world  blossom  like  tho  old  ;  to  '  make  the  wilder- 
ness and  the  solitary  place  glad.'  And  as  I  listened,  now  that 
the  mantle  of  (hu-knoss  had  wrapped  the  scene  around,  the  air 
seemed  all  alive  with  his  name.  The  trees  whispered  it  in 
trembling  expectancy  to  one  another;  the  breeze  took  it  up  and 
spread  it  over  the  hills  and  along  those  lonely  valleys,  and  pro- 
claimed aloud  that  man,  tho  rightful  heir  of  all,  was  coming, 
that  his  distant  footfalls  were  heard;  and  the  trees  seemed  'to 
clap  their  hands  '  in  welcome,  the  hills  to  listen  for  his  approach, 
the  forests  to  bend  tlieir  trenndous  toi)s  in  expectancy,  and  all 
Nature  to  otfor  eagerly  tho  precious  things  with  which  for 
centuries  she  had  been  storin<x  her  bountiful  bosom  for  the  heir 
of  all  tho  aires." 

There  remain  now  the  two  groat  fertile  l)olts  opening  on  the 
eastern  side  of  tho  island  to  bo  descrilied,  namely,  the  valley  of 
tho  Exploits  antl  tho  Gander  and  Gaml)o  country. 

Tho  Bay  of  Exploits  forms  a  deep  l)ight  on  the  south  coast  of 
tho  groat  Bay   of  Xolro   Dame.     It  has  numerous  arms,  the 


NOTRE  DAME  DAY. 


327 


fjrciitost  l)ein<;  the  inlet  whieh  leads  to  tlu;  entranee  of  the 
Exi)loit.s  River.  There  are  several  islands  in  this  arm,  the  prin- 
cipal beini^  Thwart  Island,  on  the  eastern  side;  the  water  is 
deep,  and  "there  is  no  impediment  to  navigation  for  vessels  of 
any  size,  until  reaching  Peter's  Arm,  where  there  is  a  good 
anehorago."  .  .  .  "The  entranee  to  the  Exploits  Kiver  is  at 
Wigwam  Point,  in  latitude  4'J^  5'  X.,  longitude  55°  lU'  W. 
This  magnitieent  river  rises  in  the  south-western  anjrle  of  the 
island,  and  within  a  moderate  distance  of  St.  George's  Piay,  and, 
after  a  course  of  two  hundred  miles,  it  falls  in  here.  With  it8 
numerous  tributaries  it  drains  an  area  of  nearly  four  thousand 
s(|uare  miles.  Of  these  it  is  estimated  that  one  thousand  six 
hundred  and  twenty  stpiare  miles  are  fertile  soil,  rcclaimahle  and 
fit  for  settlement.  Except  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  on  the 
arm,  where  a  few  settlers  are  found,  there  are  no  inhabitants  in 
all  this  great  valley.  The  river  tlows  through  Kcd  Indian  Lake, 
thirty- seven  miles  in  length,  and  distant  from  the  mouth  of  the 
river  ))etween  seventy  and  eighty  miles.  The  lower  v:dley  of 
the  Exploits,  l)etween  the  lake  and  the  sea,  is  capable  of  sus- 
taining many  thousand  inhabitants.  "  The  soil,"  Mr.  ^Murray 
says,  "  is  equal  to  the  best  parts  of  Lower  Canada,"  witii  little 
swamp,  unencumbered  with  l)oulders,  the  hills  wooded  to  their 
tops,  and  from  two  to  five  miles  wide.  The  root-crops  grown 
l)y  the  settlers  —  potatoes,  turnips,  parsnips,  etc, — he  i)ro- 
nounces  "  the  finest  he  ever  saw."  The  timber  is  in  many 
l)laces  still  abundant,  consisting  of  pine,  white  birch,  very 
large  spruce,  and  tamarack.  Lumbering  operations  are  carried 
on  here  on  a  small  scale,  but  might  bo  largely  increased.  The 
river  and  its  tributaries  atibrd  w;;ter-power  to  an\'  extent. 
The  facilities  for  stock-raising  are  unrivalled  ;  while  railways  or 
couunon  roads  could  be  easily  constructed,  the  valley  being  for 
the  most  part  a  dead  level.  Twenty  miles  from  the  mouth  of 
the  I'iver  are  the  Grand  Falls,  already  described.  The  land  in 
the  neighborhood  of  the  Red  Indian  Lahe  is  excellent.  Its 
shores  were  the  head-quarters  of  the  Red  Indians  for  many  gtMi- 
jrations,  and  the  spot  where  they  made  their  last  stand,  when 
assailed  by  the  Micmacs.     Formerly  their  burying-places  and 


328 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


If 


£&( 


III 


traces  of  their  wigwams  were  visible  here,  but  they  are  now 
ol)literatcd. 

This  great  valley  was  practically  unknown  till  the  year  1871, 
when  it  was  surveyed  by  Mr.  Murra}',  whose  account  of  it 
came  like  a  new  and  startling  discovery — so  indiflcrent  were 
the  people  to  the  riches  of  the  interior  and  so  ignorant  of  their 
very  existence.  Regarding  its  agricultural  capabilities  ho  says 
in  his  report:  "The  main  river  valley,  from  Red  Indian  Lake 
downwards,  is  nearly  for  the  whole  distance  a  level  or  gently 
undulating  country,  broken  only  by  occasional  abrupt  hills,  or 
rocky  eminences,  and  densely  wooded  for  many  miles  back, 
from  either  bank  of  the  stream."  ....  "The  forests  of  the 
Exploits  Valley  consist  of  pine,  spruce,  balsam-fir,  tamarack, 
white  birch,  and  poplar."  ....  "The  quality  of  its  s}K)n- 
taneous  productions  may  fairly  bo  taken  as  indicative  of  a 
fertile  soil.  The  width  of  this  fertile  l)clt  of  land  varies  at 
dlllerent  parts  of  the  river ;  but  taking  it  to  average  about  two 
miles  on  either  side  (and  it  probably  is  much  more),  there 
would  be  an  area  of  redaimable  country  of  about  two  hundred 
and  eight}'  scpiare  miles,  or  179,200  acres."  This  estimate 
refers  only  to  the  lower  reaches  of  the  river,  and  does  not  in- 
clude the  country  around  the  lake  or  that  around  the  arms  of 
the  bay.  "The  fertility  of  the  soil,"  says  Mr.  Murray,  "at 
this  part  of  the  region  is  amply  testified  wherever  cultivation 
has  been  attempted,  producing  roots,  potatoes,  grass,  and 
other  crops  of  the  finest  description  ;  while  as  a  grazing  or 
stock-raising  countrv  it  can  hardlv  be  surpassed."  ....  "Xo 
observant  person  visiting  the  valley  of  the  Exploits  could  fail 
to  be  impressed  with  tlie  manifold  advantages  it  presents  for 
the  prosecution  of  industrial  jnirsuits,  such  as  lumbering  and 
agriculture.  "With  u  si)lendid  river,  al)undant  timber,  and  a 
fertile  soil,  the  region  that  is  now  a  wilderness  might,  by 
energy  and  enterprise,  be  soon  converted  into  u  thriving  settle- 
ment, maintaining  a  large  population." 

Above  Red  Indian  Lake  the  Exploits  is  divided  into  two 
branches  —  the  main  river  or  Exploits  proper,  and  the  Victoria 
branch.  The  former  rises  not  more  than  twelve  miles  from 
the  sea-coast,  flows  through  King  George  IV.  Lake  and  several 


NOTRE  DAME  DAY. 


329 


spoil- 


smaller  ponds.  The  Victoria  branch  takes  its  ori<;in  between 
the  White  Bear  and  Grandy's  IJrook  waters,  and  flows  throu<>;h 
Victoria  Lake,  a  niagniticent  sheet  of  water,  sixteen  miles  lonjx, 
with  a  breadth  of  tliree-quartcrs  of  a  mile.  The  character  of 
the  country  through  which  these  streams  flow  is  varied.  South 
of  King  George  IV.  Lake  and  V^ictoria  Lake  "the  country  is 
one  vast  desolation  of  bare  rock"  with  marshes  interspersed. 
On  the  left  bank  of  the  Victoria  there  arc  areas  of  well-tim- 
bered land,  averaging  five  miles  in  width,  and  rich  ""interval" 
land  between  Lloyd's  Pond  and  lied  Indian  Lake.  Sixteen 
miles  up  the  Victoria  River  "  the  country  greatly  improves,  and 
a  large  tract,  well  wooded,  generally  level  and  covered  by  a 
good  soil,  prevails  nearly  up  to  Victoria  Lake.  This  level  and 
rcclaimable  land  seems  to  extend  to  the  eastward,  with  a  few 
interruptions,  to  the  Great  liattling  Brook."  The  country 
south  of  Hodge's  Hill  and  on  the  southern  side  of  the  Exploits 
"presents  an  unbroken  dense  forest,  in  a  series  of  gentle 
undulations,  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach.  The  country  between 
the  Victoria  and  the  head  of  Red  Indian  Lake  is  well  timbered 
throughout." 

Rich  in  agricultural  capabilities  as  is  the  yet  unpeopled  valley 
of  the  Exploits,  it  is  greatly  surpassed  by  the  valley  of  the 
Gander,  which,  when  settled  and  cultivated,  will  undoubtedly  bo 
the  garden  of  Newfoundland.  It  may  truly  be  said  to  have 
been  discovered  in  1874,  when  ]Mr.  Murray  surveyed  a  })ortion 
of  it,  from  the  sea  to  the  head  of  the  Gander  Lake,  his  exami- 
nation being  completed  by  Mr.  Howley,  his  assistant,  in  18 7G, 
who  explored  the  upper  reaches  of  the  river.  The  total  length 
of  the  main  river  is  one  hundred  miles ;  but  another  branch  of 
it,  called  the  South-west  River,  also  empties  into  the  Gander 
Lake,  and  is  eighty  miles  in  length.  The  area  drained  is  nearly 
three  thousand  square  miles.  Altogether  there  are  in  this 
great  expanse  of  country,  including  th.^  s\hole  of  the  Gander 
River  and  Lake,  and  the  neighboring  Gumbo  and  Terra  Nova 
valleys,  no  less  than  seventeen  hundred  square  miles  available 
for  settlement.  This,  as  we  shall  see  presently,  is  the  finest 
lumbering  country  in  the  island. 

Gander  River  is  approached   from  the   sea  ut  Sir   Charles 


tM 


w 


330 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


ILimiltoii's  Sound,  by  tlio  groat  inlet  of  (Jandor  Bay,  tho  head 
of  which  is  in  hititude  41P  17'  N.,  and  lon.iritudo  r)4°  20'  \V. 
From  this  jioint  to  the  lake  the  river  is  thirty  miles  in  lenjrth. 
I'he  (lander  Lake  is  thirtv-thiee  miles  in  lenijth,  with  an  area 
of  forty-four  miles.     Jn  the  (leejjest  part  tifty-seven  fathoms  of 
line  failed  to  strike  tin*  bottom.     The  main  braneh  of  the  river 
extends  above  the  lake  for  a  distance  of  sixty  miles.     Thus  the 
lake  interseets  the  finest  part  of  the  district,  having  one  outlet 
by  the  river   to  Xotre    Dame  Bay,  on  whose    shores  are  our 
ei)pi>i'r-inines.     This  river,  with  a  small  outlay,  eould  be  made 
navi;:able  for  boats  of  u  good  si/c,  and  down  it  timber  eouUl 
readily  be    floated  were    some  present   obstructions   removed. 
Lumb(>r  and  produce  would  here  find  u  water-way  to  th(>  sea, 
and  a  ready  market  in  the  rapidly  advancing  mining  district. 
The  railway  now  in  course  of  construction  from  St.  John's  to 
Hall's  B.iy  will  traverse  this  si)lendid  valley,  and   unlock    its 
natural  treasures  and  render  it  accessible.     The  eastern  |)ortion 
of  tlie  lake  stretches  away  in  serpentine  form  towards  Bonavista 
Bay.  its  extremity  being  separated  from  that  bay  l)y  onl}'  nine 
niilc-^  of  a  very  level  country,  over  which  a  road  or  tram-way 
could  easily  be  constructed.     Thus  the  valley  has  two  outlets 
totlu>  sea,  and  w^ill  have  railway  oonununicat ion  in  one  direction 
with  the  mining  region,  in  the  other  with  the  capital  and  the 
principal    towns.     It   is   difficult   to   imagine  a   district   more 
favoral)ly    situated  for   a   farming  and    luml)ering   population. 
Along  the  valley  drained  by  the  South-west  liiver,  eighty  miles 
in  length,  the  soil  and  timber  are  reported  to   be   excellent. 
l*iue  logs,  eighty  feet  in  length,  have  been  cut  around  the  mouth 
of  this  river,  and  floated  down  the  lake  to  the  sea. 

In  regard  to  the  character  of  the  soil,  Mr.  ]Murraysays:  "Of 
this  great  expanse  of  country  a  very  large  proportion,  particularly 
eastward  I'roni  the  main  river,  is  of  rich  and  fertile  soil,  a.sami)ly 
testified  to  by  its  indigenous  produce,  which,  to  a  great  extent, 
consists  of  pine  aiul  si)ruce  of  a  sui)erior  size  and  description, 
intermingled  with  balsam  fir,  white  birch,  and  poi)lar,  the  ground 
often  being  thickly  matted  over  by  an  underbrush  of  ground 
hendock.  It  is  greatly  to  be  regretted,  however,  that  chielly,  if 
not  altogether,  from  the  careless  use  of  fire  on  the  part  of  trap- 


NOTRE  DAME  HAY. 


3;]i 


])ors  wlio  fVo(|Uont  those  regions,  great  daiuage  has  been  (hmo 
to  those  iiohle  forests,"  .  .  .  .  "  Were  the  region  opened  up 
tor  setth'rs  a  very  hirge  proportion  of  the  tiniher  might  still  he 
utilized,  as  we  found  upon  trial  upon  several  trees,  that  they  were 
still  sound  and  solid  thoujjh  dead."  .  .  .  .  "  With  the  almost 
um-ivalled  eapahilities  the  country  [)ossesses  for  grass-growing, 
breeding  and  rearing  of  stock  can  hardly  fail  to  become  one  of 
the  great  future  industries  of  tlu;  province.  The  total  rise  on  the 
river  to  the  level  of  the  Great  Lake  has  already  been  shown  to 
be  about  seventy-tive  feet  ;  and,  as  a  gn^at  part  of  the  natural 
course  is  still  and  moderately  deep  water,  the  imi)ediments  to 
the  n:ivi<;ation  of  vessels  drawing:  from  Hve  to  six  feet  miirht  be 
easily  overcome  by  the  construction  of  five  or  six  locks." 

Mr.  Ilowley,  assistant-geologist,  Aviio  completed  the  survey 
of  the  fiandcrHiver  above  the  lake,  says  in  his  report  :"  Within 
the  immense  region  drained  by  the  Gander  and  Gambo  rivers, 
there  is  a  vast  area  of  country  capable  of  being  easily  reclaimed 
and  converted  from  its  present  state  of  wilderness  into  agricult- 
ural settlements."  .  .  .  "  The  country  lying  al)ove  the  great  lake 
and  forming  the  valleys  of  the  two  rivers  presents  everywhere  a 
gently  undulating  surface,  rising  to  a  moderate  height  in  its  more 
elevated  parts,  and  sloping  gradually  and  with  beautiful  regu- 
larity down  to  the  rivers'  banks  on  either  side.  For  a  distance 
of  thirty  miles  above  the  lake,  and  at  the  least  two  miles  on  the 
western  side  of  the  main  and  eastern  side;  of  the  south-west 
rivers,  the  country  is  of  this  character,  giving  a  block  of  thirty 
miles  long  by  ten  miles  wide,  or  an  area  of  three  hundred  s(iuare 
miles,  covered  with  a  rich  deep  yellow  sandy  loam.  Nearly 
ever}'  acre  of  these  three  hundred  scjuare  miles  is  well  adapted 
for  agricultural  puri)oses,  while  the  whole  is,  or  was  at  one  time, 
densely  tun])ercd  with  magnificent  pine,  spruce,  fir,  and  white 
birch.  The  islands  or  intervals  in  the  river,  especially  near 
their  outlets,  are  })erfectly  level,  and  covered  with  exceedingly 
rich  and  deep  alluvial  soil.  ^lany  of  these  flats  are  of  consider- 
able extent,  and  for  the  most  part  they  sup[)ort  a  large  growth 
of  timber,  while  a  luxuriant  crop  of  wild  grass  fiourishes  round 
the  banks  and  on  the  lower  levels.  Much  of  the  country  sur- 
rounding the  Great  Lake  is  also  well  adapted  for  settlement, 


m 


332 


A'^"  WFO  UNDLAXD. 


It 


Vi 


and  the  advantages  of  having  a  frontage  on  this  future  great 
highway  will  still  more  enhance  its  value."  .  .  .  "The  country 
itself  is  magnificent.  I  have  never  seen  such  an  extent  of  level 
land  in  any  other  part  of  Newfoundland.  It  is  not  to  say  level 
in  the  general  sense.  It  is  composed  of  low  rounded  ridges  and 
wide  sloping  country,  all  densely  timbered.  There  is  not  a  hill 
anywhere  near  the  river  from  which  a  good  view  can  be  obtained." 
.  .  .  .  "  That  the  soil  here,  over  a  very  great  area,  is  of  excel- 
lent quality  and  capable  of  yielding  rich  harvests  I  cannot  doubt. 
Taking  everything  into  consideration,  I  do  not  think  that  a 
more  promising  country  or  one  more  easy  of  access  could  i)c 
found  in  British  America."  ....  "In  all  my  travels  al)out  the 
island  I  have  nowhere  seen  anj'thing  like  the  quantity  of  i)ine 
timber  to  be  met  with  here  ;  and,  although  the  soil  on  the  west- 
ern side  of  the  island  is  richer  in  some  places,  this  country, 
takii.g  all  its  advantages  into  consideration,  oilers  more  imme- 
diate inducement  to  settlers." 

In  addition  to  its  agricultural  and  lumbering  capabilities  the 
Gandei  country  gives  abundant  promise  of  being  a  mining 
region.  The  rocks  of  the  serpentine  group,  having  all  the 
characteristics  of  the  copper-bearing  formation  in  Notre  Dame 
Bay,  are  extensively  developed  in  the  Gander  district,  not  only 
on  the  north  and  north-east  of  the  lake,  but  also  on  the  main 
river  above  the  lak(!,  where  thoj^  occupy  an  immense  area. 
"It  is  only  rcason.ible  to  suppose,"  says  Mr.  Howley,  "that  the 
ores  of  copper  and  nickel  will  be  found  to  exist  here  also." 

Of  the  Gambo  River  INIr.  Ilowley  says  :  "  The  timber  on  the 
Gambo,  especially  in  the  valley  of  the  Triton  River,  is  ver}'  line. 
I'ine  is  abundant,  and  though  not  generally  so  large  as  that  of 
the  Gander,  is  of  excellent  quality.  The  white  birch,  spruce, 
and  fir  along  the  banks  of  the  river  arc  remarkably  fine,  indeed 
I  have  seldom  seen  finer  in  any  part  of  the  island.  The  land 
available  for  general  agi'iculture  in  the  valley  of  the  Gambo  is 
not  extensive,  being  chiefly  confined  to  the  alluvial  fiats  on 
cither  side  of  the  river.  These,  however,  are  frequently  richly 
hixuriant,  as  testified  l)y  the  indigenous  vegetation,  especially 
in  the  valley  of  Triton  River,  where  they  are  generally  upwards 
of  a  mile  in  width,  extending  from  the  outlet  into  the  upper 
ponds  and  to  the  forks." 


LAND  INVESTMENTS  AND  EMIGRATION. 


333 


re  great 
country 
of  level 
ly  U^vcl 
gcs  and 
ot  a  hill 
aiiied." 
'  excel- 
tlouht. 
that  a 
mid  I)c 
•out  the 
»t"  i)iiie 
e  we.sf- 
)uiitry, 
imnie- 


CIIAPTER  V. 

ON  THE  PROSPECTS  OF  LAND  INVESTMENTS  AND 
EMIGRATION. 

Autlioritiitivo  oi)inions  and  reports  —  Newfoundhind  compared  with  the  most 
favored  provinces  of  Nortii  America  —  Summers  and  winters  —  Ncwfound- 
hind  as  a  grazing  country  —  Vegetable  productions — The  district  of  St. 
John's  —  Fisli  as  a  fertilizer — Wheat,  barley,  and  hops  —  Report  of  the 
Joint  Committee  of  the  Council  and  House  of  Assembly  —  The  peninsula 
of  Avalon  —  The  present  conciition  of  agriculture  —  Customs' returns  — 
Markets  for  farm  produce — Forest  timber,  pine  and  si)ruce — Area  of 
forest  lands  —  The  lumbering  regions. 

Ix  1842  Sir  John  ILirvey  was  appointed  Governor  of  the 
island.  lie  was  a  man  of  nuieh  intelligence  and  energy,  and 
he  had  an  extensive  knowledi^e  of  the  soil  of  the  neiuhhorinj!: 
colonies  of  Canada,  New  Brunswick,  Nova  Scotia,  and  Prince 
Edward  Island,  lie  became  an  enthusiastic  advocate  for  the 
agricultural  improvement  of  New^')undland,  and  never  ceased 
to  urge  its  importance.  He  showed  that  the  country  must  be 
opened  up  by  roads  as  an  indisi)ensable  step  to  the  cidtivation 
of  the  soil.  Nothing  was  known  in  his  day  of  the  tine  districts 
and  valleys  described  in  the  preceding  pages.  He  was  only 
ac(|uainted  with  the  poorest  portion  of  the  island  around  \\\i^ 
eastern  shores  and  bays,  and  yet,  addressing  tlu;  Legislature,  he 
referred  to  the  sul)iect  in  the  following  terms  :"  And  here  I 
will  not  deny  myself  the  satisfaction  of  recording  this  pul)lic 
declaration  of  my  conviction,  derived  from  such  observation 
and  information  as  a  residence  in  the  island  for  ui)wards  of  a 
year  has  enabled  me  to  aci^uire,  that,  both  as  regards  climate 
and  agiicidtural  capabilities,  Newfoimdland  in  many  respects 
need  not  shrink  from  a  comi)arison  with  tin;  most  favored  prov- 
inces of  North  America.  Its  sunnners,  though  short,  enjoy 
an    extrao  "dinary    degree    of    vegetative   power,    which    only 


I 


?VJf(t 


it  ^ 


'm 


334 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


requires  to  be  duly  taken  advantage  of;  its  winters  are  neither 
unusually  long  nor  severe,  and  its  autunnial  seasons  arc  as  open 
and  fine  as  those  of  any  of  the  surrounding  colonies.  In  point 
of  rich  natural  grasses,  no  part  of  British  North  America  [jro- 
duces  greater  ahundance.  Newfoundland,  in  fact,  appears  to 
nie  to  be  calculated  to  become  essentially  a  rich  grazing  coun- 
try ;  and  its  varied  agricultural  resources  appear  onl}'  to  re(iuire 
roads  and  settlements  to  force  them  into  highly  rennuierative 
development."  After  referring  to  the  entire  absence  of  roads 
in  his  day,  he  said:  "So  long  as  this  unexampled  state  of 
things,  more  especially  as  respects  the  roads,  is  sutlered  to 
continue,  this  colony  nmst  remain  —  what  it  would  ai)pear  to 
have  been  designed  to  keep  it  —  little  be^'ond  a  tishing-station. 
Emigration  to  it,  l>eyond  the  number  of  laborers  recjuired  for 
the  j)rosecution  of  that  single  pursuit,  cannot  be  expected,  no 
other  encouragement  being  held  out.  But  by  opening  up  its 
interior  by  means  of  good  roads  and  communications,  upon 
lines  carcfidly  surveyed  and  carried  through  lands — and  it  is 
known  that  such  are  to  be  found — capable  of  repaying  the 
labor  of  the  settler,  and  therefore  holding  out  inducement  to 
that  class  of  emigrants,  you  will,  as  I  have  elsewhere  said,  dis- 
cover treasures  which,  though  they  may  not  offer  in  the  iirst 
instance,  rewards  so  tempting,  and  so  innnediately  available, 
as  those  of  the  surrounding  deep,  are,  nevertheless,  (juite  as 
essential  to  the  prosi)erity  of  your  island  home  as  are  the  lish- 
eries  themselves."'  These  utterances  of  Sir  John  Ilarvev  have 
proved  to  l)o  [)rophetie.  The  existence  of  " the  treasures"  he "^ 
refers  to  is  now  placed  beyond  all  (juestion. 

Sir  Richard  Bonnycastle,  a  military  ofHcer  of  distinction 
who  spent  some  years  in  the  island,  and  has  written  one  of  the 
best  l)()oks  on  the  country,  was  strongly  imi)ressed  with  its 
agricultural  resources.  His  work  bears  the  date  of  1(S42,  and 
in  it  he  earnestly  advocates  colonization  and  agricultural  devel- 
opment, lie  speaks  of  Newfoundland  as  "possessing  a  cliniale 
of  extraordinary  salubrity,"  and  predicted  that  if  opened  up  for 
settlement,  it  would  "  take  its  rank  amongst  the  more  nourishing 
colonies  of  the  neighboring  continent."  He  enumerates  among 
the  vegetable  productions  which  he  saw  growing  and  thriving 


LAND  INVESTMENTS  AND  EMIGRATION. 


.335 


admirably,  cucuml)er8,  melons,  cabbages,  cauliHoweis,  broicoli, 
beet,  parsnips,  carrots,  peas,  potatoes.  "The  ganlcii  si  raw- 
berry  and  raspberry  of  every  variety  thrive  without  more  than 
the  usual  care."  ....  "Potatoes,  oats,  turnips,  and  all 
the  necessary  vegetables,  can  readily  be  reared,  even  on  the 
very  worst  portion  of  such  a  wilderness  as  that  of  the  littoral. 
Here  one  hundred  thousand  acres  are  stated  to  be  under  culti- 
vation." ....  "The  very  worst  jjortion  of  the  soil  is  that 
in  the  neighborhood  of  St.  John's,  and  yet  here,  in  all  directions, 
the  })lough  speeds  and  the  ancient  forest  has  vanished."  His 
description  of  the  soil  in  the  neighborhood  of  St.  dohifs  is 
perfectly  correct.  It  is  among  the  poorest  in  the  island,  and 
yet  in  every  direction  for  miles  around  the  city  are  well-culti- 
vated and  productive  farms,  comfortable  homesteads,  and  a 
numerous  agricultural  poi)ulation.  Oats  and  barley  of  the 
best  (juality  arc  grown,  and  even  wheat  has  been  tiied  with 
success.  If,  then,  such  are  the  results  of  cultivation  in  tiio 
least  [)romising  portion  of  the  country,  where  the  harsh  wind' 
from  the  east  are  felt,  and  the  etfect  of  the  cold  Arctic  current 
is  most  felt,  what  may  we  not  expect  when  the  dee})  soil  of 
the  sheltered  valleys  and  of  the  warmer  interior  and  of  the 
west  coast  are  brought  under  cultivation?  "The  district  of  St. 
John's,"  says  Bonnyeastle,  "is  esi)ecially  well  adapted  for  a 
grazing  country,  and  the  imported  and  home-raised  cattle  look 
as  plump  and  as  sleek  as  those  of  any  other  i)art  o(  the  world 
where  they  are  carefully  attended  to ;  and  I  have  seen  cows  at 
some  of  the  farms  which  would  not  discredit  the  dairies  of 
Devon." 

It  may  be  mentioned  hero  that  a  large  portion  of  the  manure 
used  by  the  farmers  is  a  compost  made  by  mixing  eods'-heads 
and  lish  otFal  of  all  kinds  with  eailh  and  peat.  After  standing 
for  a  year  a  fertilizing  comi)ound,  eijual  to  guano,  is  thus 
produced. 

The  Right  Kev.  Dr.  Mullock,  Koman  Catholic  Bishop  of  St. 
John's,  a  gentleman  of  high  cultiu'e  and  intelligence,  and  one 
who  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  improvement  of  the  country, 
delivered  two  lectures  on  Newfoundland,  in  18(50,  in  which  ho 
spoke  in  high  terms  of  the  natural  capabilities  of  the  island, 


336 


NE  WFO UNDLAXD. 


especially  of  its  agricultural  and  mineral  resources.  Of  the 
former  he  said:  "All  garden  vegetables  —  cabliages,  carrots, 
turnips,  salads,  etc. — are  brought  to  the  highest  perfection, 
and  the  climate  appears  specially  adapted  to  impail  succulency 
to  them.  The  potato,  you  all  know,  before  the  rot,  was  of  the 
finest  quality.  It  has  now  nearly  recovered."  .... 
"  Wheat  will  ripen  very  well.  I  have  never  seen  finer  barley 
than  the  growth  of  Newfoundland ;  and  all  persons  who  have 
bought,  as  I  have  done,  Newfoundland  oats,  at  nearly  double 
the  price  of  the  husky  grain  imi)orted  here,  will  find  that  they 
have  gained  by  the  purchase.  IIo})s  are  most  luxuriant,  and  so 
are  strawl)erries,  currants,  gooseberries,  cherries,  and  many 
other  species  of  fruit."  ....  ".My  estimate,  then,  of  the 
agricultural  i'apal)ilit'.es  of  Newfoundland,  com])aring  it  with 
what  1  have  seen  in  the  north  of  Europe,  is,  that  if  we  had  a 
large  agricultural  population,  we  could  support  them  in  com- 
fort." It  must  be  remembered  that  the  foregoing  was  written 
previous  to  the  discoveries  of  the  geological  surve3\ 

Sir  Stephen  Hill,  who  was  governor  in  187;},  says  in  one  of 
his  <lespatches  that  "the  agricultural  capabilities  of  the  island 
arc  far  greater  than  are  usually  assigned  to  it,"  and  that  largo 
portions  of  it  are  "capal)le  of  a  high  cultivation."  The  area  of 
the  fcu'tile  portions,  he  says,  "added  together,  amount  to  many 
millions  of  acres.  AVith  respect  to  the  products  of  the  colony, 
potatoes,  turnips,  cabbages,  peas,  beans,  and  indeed  all  vegeta- 
l)les  which  ujrow  in  Enuland,  arrive  at  the  highest  state  of 
j)erfecti()n  in  Newfoimdland.  Of  cereals,  its  barley  and  oats 
will  not  sutler  by  comi)arison  with  the  [)roduce  of  Nova  Scotia; 
and  even  wheat  can  be  rij)ened  in  s})ots,  though,  as  a  rule,  not 
as  a  profitable  crop."  (This  refers  to  the  neighliorhood  of 
St.  John's. ^  "As  regards  fruit  —  currants,  strawberries,  goose- 
berries, and  cherries,  with  other  fruit,  grew  in  the  gardens  ; 
and  countless  species  of  berries  are  found  in  great  profusion 
throughout  the  country." 

In  1880  a  joint  connnittec  of  the  Council  and  House  of 
Assembly,  apiH)inted  to  consider  the  question  of  constructing 
a  railway  in  the  island,  presented  a  re[)ort,  of  v/hich  the 
following    are  extracts:    "Our  auricultural    industry,    thoui>h 


I  I': 

I  iii 


I.AXD  IXVESTMEXTS  AND  EMIGRATION: 


S37 


prosecuted  to  a  valuiible  extent,  is  yet  suseeptihle  of  very 
enlarjfed  development.  Vast  strotelies  of  agricultural  land, 
extending  from  Trinity  Bay,  north,  along  the  heads  of  Bona- 
vista  Bay,  Gander  Hay,  and  Exploits  liiver,  as  well  as  on  the 
west  coast,  need  only  the  employment  of  Avell-direeted  lal)()r 
to  convert  them  into  means  of  indei)entlent  support  for  thousands 
of  the  i)opulation."  ....  "The  in(juiry  is  further  sug- 
gested whether  this  colony  should  not  become  an  exporter  of 
live  stock;  and  we  have  little  dillicultv  in  ailirniini;  this  posi- 
lion.  For  grazing  i)urposcs,  we  have  large  tracts  tliat  we 
helieve  cannot  be  surpassed  in  Britisli  North  America;  and 
when  we  regard  our  proximity  to  England,  and  the  all-imi)()rtant 
consideration  of  a  short  voyage;  for  live  stock,  Ihc;  advantages 
we  [)ossess  in  this  coimection  are  too  manifest  to  be  the  subject 
of  (piestion  or  argument." 

The  last  authority  wc;  shall  ([uote  is  Mr.  W.  Fraser  Kae,  who 
visited  the  island  in  1880,  and  has  recorded  his  views  in  an 
excellent  and  trustworthy  work,  '"Newfoundland  to  Manitoba." 
\\i\  formed  u  very  favorable  opinion  of  the  island,  and,  from  its 
great  natund  resources,  he  antici})ates  for  it  a  career  of  pros- 
perity, now  that  the  railway  has  at  last  been  introduced  to  aid 
in  the  development  of  its  agri(!ultura.l  and  mineral  resources. 
Of  the  former  he  says:  "That  the  soil  and  climate  of 
Newfoundland  are  really  good  is  a  statenu'nt  which  may  be  read 
with  scepticism.  The'  common  opinion  is  unfavorable  to  both, 
and  this  opinion  is  based  upon  ex[)erienee  gained  near  the 
coast."  ....  "Not  till  a  few  years  a<jjo  was  it  determined 
to  open  up  the  interior  of  the  island  by  constructing 
a  railway  across  it.  In  187')  the  Legislature  passed  an 
Act  for  an  extended  survey.  The  rejjorts  of  the  engineers 
contirmcd  nil  that  had  been  previously  written  in  praise  of  the 
island,  while  showing  how  easy  it  was  to  construct  i-ailways 
there.  Nearly  the  whole  of  the  interior  is  undulating,  is 
covered  in  parts  with  Ibrests,  is  intersected  with  rivers,  and  is 
strewn  with  lakes.  One-third  is  wati.'r.  The  greater  part  of 
the  soil  is  adapted  to  the  growth  of  all  kinds  of  vegetables, 
most  kinds  of  grain,  and  even  tobacco.  On  the  western  side 
the  soil  is  richer  and  the  climate  is  liner  than  in  the  peninsula 


'I 


nm 


'ill'' 


iL..: 


«     tl:. 


■  «  11. 

■if. 


1 


338 


KE  WFO  UNO  L  A  ND. 


of  Avaloii  at  the  oast.  If  the  earlier  settlement  had  taken  i)laco 
at  the  western  shore,  the  island  niisrht  now  sustain  a  largo 
l)opulation,   liv'n^  by  tlu;   pursuit  of  aijriculturo  alone." 

In  NoM-foundland,  as  in  Canada  and  the  United  States,  there 
are  areas  which  are  hoix'lessly  barren  or  nearly  so,  the  soil 
being  too  scanty  to  permit  vegetation,  or  the  surface  covered 
deep  with  large  boulders.  A  large  s})ace,  too,  is  occupied  by 
marshes  or  .swamps.  The  l)est  judges  declare  that,  in  a 
majority  of  cases,  these  could  be  drained,  and  protital)Iy  con- 
verted into  meadow  if  not  arable  land,  as  has  been  done  in 
similar  cases  in  Great  Britain  jukI  Ireland.  Between  the  head- 
waters of  the  Exploits  and  the  sea  there  is  a  dreary  and  desolate 
country  on  the  southern  coast,  where  vegetation  is  very  scanty, 
and  for  months  dense  fogs  prevail.  The  mistake  has  been  in 
supi)()sing  that  the  character  of  such  a  repulsive  region  held 
good  of  the  who'c  island,  and  that  it  contained  no  fertile  belts. 

The  present  condition  of  agriculture  in  Newfoundland  will 
be  best  learned  from  th(;  following  returns  taken  from  the 
census  of  1874,  being  the  latest.  It  is  necessary  to  bear  in 
mind  that  agriculture  hitlu'rto  has  been  mainly  confined  to  tlu) 
littoral  portion  of  the  island,  where  the  soil  is  poorest  and  the 
climate  less  f^ivorable,  the  good  lands  being  inaccessible  :  — 


Land — Acres  cultivated . 
Cattle— Head 
Milch  Cows  — 
Horses    .... 
Sheep     .... 
Swine      .... 
Goats      .... 
Butter  —  Pounds 
Hay  —  Tons  cut 
Wheat  —  Bushels     . 
Barley  —  Bushels    . 
Oats  —  Bushels 
Potatoes  —  Barrels  . 
Turnips  —  Barrels   . 
Other  root-cro|)s  —  Barrels 


34,2*j;3 

6,280 

6,240 

3,890 

24,964 

21,897 

6,708 

186,854 

21,604 

84 

546 

6,606 

.*]15,09() 

14,001 

5,487 


m 


LAND  INVESTMENTS  AND  EMIGRATION. 


331) 


The  f^rowtli  of  aj^riculture,  for  obvious  reasons  already 
referred  to,  has  l)een  very  slow.  The  eensus  of  1S3()  irave 
11,002  aeres  as  the  quantity  under  eultivation.  That  of  1.S4"), 
irave  29,t;i3()  acres;  that  of  18.3"),  41, lOH  acres ;  that  of  LSUD, 
38,134  acres;  that  of  1874,  34,2'J3  acres.  On  these  ])oints, 
however,  the  censuses  are  not  to  be  relied  on  as  entirely 
accurate.  As  the  returns  stand  they  show  a  decline  since  18,')") 
instead  of  an  advance  in  the  (juantity  of  land  under  cultivation. 
The  want  of  all  facility  of  access  to  the  fertile  districts,  and  of 
every  encourai>enient  to  settle  in  the  interior,  is  sullicient  to 
account  for  this  stagnation. 

The  Customs'  returns  for  1880  show  that  in  that  year  the 
total  value  of  agricultural  produce  imported  into  Newfound- 
land was  no  less  than  $2,825,411.  If  we  suppose  this  amount 
of  produce  raised  in  the  country,  which,  were  the  island  opened 
up  to  any  extent,  would  be  tlic  case,  then  nearly  three  millions 
of  dollars  annually,  which  now  are  sent  out  of  the  country  to 
pa}'  the  agriculturists  of  other  i)laces,  would  J)e  retained  and 
spent  among  Newfoundland  farmers,  to  the  great  benetit  of  the 
home  i)opulation.  If  the  encouragement  of  homo  manufactures 
is  proper,  then  as  farms  are  food  factories,  every  facility  should 
be  given  for  the  extension  of  this  industry,  l)y  providing  rail- 
ways for  the  transport  of  farm  produce  to  market.  It  is  evi- 
dent, froni  these  returns,  that  for  the  produce  of  the  farm  and 
dairy  and  the  raising  of  stock,  there  will  be,  for  years  to  come, 
a  remunerative  market  in  the  island  itself,  apart  altogether  fin)m 
exportation. 

The  total  annual  value  of  the  produce  of  the  land  now  under 
cultivation  has  been  estimated  by  .Sir  AVilliam  Whiteway  at 
$012,350. 

The  value  of  the  cultivated  land,  at  the  rate  of  $80  per  acre, 
together  with  horses,  cattle,  sheep,  etc.,  in  1855,  "was  estimated 
at  $3,i)57,O0i).  It  may  be  doubted,  however,  whether  this 
estimate  is  not  too  high. 

^Mthough  from  time  to  time  tires  have  destroyed  large  sec- 
tions of  the  heavily-timbered  districts,  yet  the  forest  wealth 
still  remaining  and  yet  unutilized  is  inuuense.  These  forests 
are  found    chielly  in   the  valleys  of  the   great    rivers  already 


»',']:i 


Ji 


340 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


described,  and  aloni^  the  l)anks  of  their  tril)iit!irie.s ;  also  in  the 
country  around  St.  George's  Bay  and  I'ort-a-Port.  The  varie- 
ties of  the  indigenous  forest  timbers  are  white  pine,  white  and 
black  spruce,  tamarack  or  larch,  tir,  yellow  and  white  birch. 
()uc(!  the  country  is  fairly  opened  up  by  railways  a  great  timber 
trade  will  be  created.  The  yellow  birch,  which  abounds  lar<rclv 
in  Si.  (icorge's  Hay,  is  said  to  be  equal  in  diu'ability  to  English 
oak,  and.  with  the  siiruces  and  larches,  is  admirably  adapted 
for  ship-building  purjwses. 

The  great  valley  of  the  Gander  is  destined  to  bo  the  most 
important  lumbering  region  in  the  island.  It  is  covered  with 
pine  and  spruce  of  the  tinest  doscri[)tion ;  and  the  river  and 
lake  present  all  facilities  for  floating  logs  to  the  sea-margin, 
wh(>re  saw-mills  could  be  erected.  On  both  sides  of  the  lake 
iisclf  water-power  for  driving  machinery  could  be  obtained  in 
many  places.  Besides  the  river,  an  outlet  could  be  found  at 
Freshwater  Bay,  in  Bonavista  Bay,  which  is  separated  from  the 
hdvc  by  a  level  tract  only  nine  miles  in  length. 

Mr.  Murray  reports  as  follows  of  this  region:  "Except  where 
partially  deiuided  by  tire  the  Avhole  valley  of  the  river,  the 
shores  over  the  lake,  and  the  banks  of  the  tributaries  are  all 
densely  clad  by  forest,  among  the  most  conspicuous  trees  of 
which  are  pines,  to  all  external  appearance  of  the  finest  descrip- 
tion. Upon  the  south-west  arm,  and  at  various  parts  of  the  lake, 
groves  of  pine  may  be  seen  where  the  average  girth  of  the 
trees  is  not  much,  if  anvthinu',  less  than  nine  feet,  and  where 
many  individual  trees  will  reach  to  eleven,  twelve,  and  even 
fourteen  feet.  On  al)()ut  one  acre  of  surface  I  measured  fifteen 
or  twenty  trees,  the  diameters  of  which  varied  from  two  and  a 
half  to  four  and  a  half  feet;  and  these,  moreover,  Avere  straight, 
tall,  and  sound,  with  stems  running  up  symmetrically  for  up- 
wards of  fifty  feet  Avithout  knot  or  branch."  He  estimated  that 
there  was  here  "  an  area  of  not  less  than  five  hundred  square 
miles  worthy  of  being  laid  out  as  timber  limits,  where  an 
inunense  tim1)er  trade  might  be  carried  on  successfully."  .  .  . 
''Were  the  tracts  surrounding  the  head-waters  of  the  Gambo 
and  the  south-west  branch  to  be  taken  into  account,  I  have 
little  doubt  the  area  would  1)0  extended  to  a  thousand  square 


m 


LAND  INVESTMENTS  AND  EMIGRATION. 


ail 


miles."  In  another  jjIjico  he  said  :  "  On  the  supposition  that  tlie 
average  amount  of  timber  tit  to  be  converted  into  hnnbcr  is 
20,000  feet  per  acre,  it  follows  that  4G0,800  acres  will  contain 
nine  billion  two  hundred  and  sixteen  million  feet  of  more  or  less 
merchantable  [U'oduce,  ecjual  to  ninety-two  millions  one  hundred 
and  sixty  thousand  feet  amnially  for  one  hundred  years,  and 
yielding  timber  to  the  value  of  $1,^48,300  per  annum."  .... 
The  establishmen*^  of  the  lumber  trade  in  these  regions,  how- 
ever, would  only  be  a  preliminary  movement  towards  Ihc 
ultimate  j)ermanent  settlement  of  the  land.  The  soil  over  an 
enormous  area  is  rich  and  fertile,  the  surface  level  or  gently 
undulating.  The  country  is  capable  of  raising  all  or  most  of 
the  cereal  crops  in  ample  a1)undance. 

]\Ir.  Ilowley  says,  in  his  rejjort  on  the  same  region  :  "  From 
careful  exann'nation  of  the  forests  at  many  diU'erent  j)oints,  and 
particularly  as  regards  the  limits  of  av:;ilable  pine,  I  feel  myself 
in  a  position  to  furnish  the  following  estimate  of  the  area  sup- 
porting that  timber  with  tolerable  contidence  :  — 

Square  niik'H. 

Area  of  pine  lands  on  the  lower  valley  of  the 

Gander  River  and  north  side  of  the  lake  .  200 
Valleys  of  the  ]Main  and  south-west  rivers  al)ove 

the  lake       .......     300 

Country  along  the  south  side  of  the  lake,  and 

across  to  Freshwater  Hay  .  .  .     200 

Valley  of  the  Ganibo  and  Tritcy    xiiver  with  their 

tributaries   .         .         .         .         .         .         .     l')0 


Total 


.S")0 


"I  conceive  it  probable  that  still  further  investigation  may 
bring  the  total  area  up  to  one  thousand  s(|uare  miles.  ^Nlost,  if 
not  all,  the  pine  hei'c  referred  to  is  of  the  white  variety,  Plnus 
strohus,  probably  the  most  valuable  s^iecies  for  the  manufacture 
of  lumber."  Fires  have  swept  over  many  portions  of  this 
district,  but  "the  pine,  though  scorchetl,  does  not  appear  other- 
wise to  be  much  injured  so  long  as  it  remains  standing." 

Though  not  nearly  equal  to  the    Gander  country  in   forest 


$'»:■ 


M' 


::  ll 


ik 


f 


.342 


XEWFOUXDLAXD. 


i   i 


wc.'illli,  the  v.'illcv  of  the  Tvxploits  contains  a  very  larixo  fniantil  y  (i)' 
pine  and  oilier  valuahle  tinilier.  Near  the  month  of  llic  river  a 
steam  saw-mill  has  been  sneeessfniy  at  work  for  many  years, 
and  no  ditlienify  is  oxjx'rieneed  in  i)r()enrinir  a  larjre  snpply  of 


material. 


r.et 


ween 


the  ( 


■  rand 


Fall 


s  an( 


1  Hi 


ulirer 


lirook 


av: 


Mr.  Mnrray.  "at  many  parts,  on  hoth  si(h's  of  the  main  river, 
pine  was  ohserved  to  tlonrish  Inxnriantly,  much  of  which  ap- 
])eared  to  he  o\'  excellent  (jnalily,  heini:'  often  of  fair  diameter, 
straiiiht,  and  tall.  These  reaches  also  display  a  tine  growth  of 
other  varieties  of  timhei',  and  at  some  parts,  especially  ahont  the 
foi-ks  of  the  Sandy  lirook,  white  birch  often  attains  a  very  l.irtre 
size."  About  Ked  Indian  Lake  there  is  a  sui)erb  j^rowth  of 
pine  and  spruce  of  "  lame  si/c,  straiti'ht,  and  tall." 
'' AN'ith  a  splendid  river,  al)undant  timber,  and  a  fertile  soil,  this 
region  is  marked  out  for  a  prosperous  settlement." 
"The  southern  side  of  the  Exploits  ))resents  an  unbroki'U  deus(! 
t'orest.  in  a  series  of  irentle  undulalions,  far  asthe(\ye  can  reach." 
"  From  the  A'ictoi'ia  IJiver  to  the  head  of  the  Ked 
Indian  Lake,  the  country  is  well  timliercd  throuuhout." 

Another  richly-wooded  district  is  the  valley  of  the  Iliwiiliei'. 
where  for  many  years  himl)erin<i'  lias  been  conducte(l  on  an 
extensive  scale.  The  surveyor-ucneral  reports  of  the  timber 
here  as  Ibllows  :  "The  hard  wood  found  here  consists  chietly  of 
the  diflcrenl  descrii)tions  of  birch,  the  yellow,  ealled  wych- 
ha/el.  within  a  (piarter  of  a  mile  of  the  shoi-e  was  found  measur- 
inir,  at  six  feet  from  the  uround,  iVom  live  to  seven  feet  in 
cii'cumference  :  and  soft-wood,  as  pine,  spruce,  birch,  etc.,  are 
to  be  had  with  as  little  ditliculty,  the  whoh;  consistinu"  of  a  .-i/.e 
sufliciently  laru'e  for  any  kind  of  buildinir,  and  in  (plant it  ies 
abundant  enouuh  to  beeome  an  article  of  export."  ]Mr.  Murray 
says:  "Tamarack,  or  larch,  is  not  rare;  yellow  birch  of  lar;:e 
dimensions  is  abundant;  white  })ine  and  spruce  j^row  in  the 
srreatest  profusion,  frequently  of  a  size  and  (juality  not  lireatly 
inferior,  if  not  eipial,  to  the  best  that  is  now  largely  brought 
into  the  market  in  Gai»pe  and  other  parts  of  the  lower  province 
of  Canada." 

These  are  the  principal  lumbering  regions,  l)ut,  as  already 
stated,  the  valleys  around  St.  George's  Bay  and  the  Codroy 


l!M 


LAXD   IXVESTMEXTS  AXD   EMIGRATIOX. 


.34.) 


valleys  contain  a  tiiic  jjrrowlli  of  mixed  forest  tiiulx-r  —  >i)nit«'. 
l)iiu',  hinii,  .111(1  lir.  ( )ii  most  of  the  smaller  slreaiiis  there  are 
also  •jfroves  of  pine  and  varions  other  tri-es,  while  the  >aine 
holds  jrood  nx'anlinur  the  heads  of  manv  of  the  lta\s.      Ji  is  thns 


■TrT^?CVf7;»<fT 


LLMlltK.UAN'S     CAMP     IN     WINTEU 


evident  that,  in  "reLT.'ird  to  forest  -svealth  and  himlxM-inir  eapa- 
l)ilities,  Newfoundland   holds  a  very  important  ])laee.'" 

"It  is  very  remarkable."  says  Mr.  Ilowley,  "that  n(t  sjteeies 
of  cedar,  beech,  elm,  or  oak  have  been  met  with  in  this  country, 
althoudi  they  are  all  connnon  on   the  continent,  aiul  some    of 
these  varieties  are  known  even  to  exist  at  Ca[)e  I'reton." 


i^M 


1^  '    i: 


PART    V. 
MINERAL    RESOURCES. 


CHAPTER  I. 


PIONEER   WORK  AND   PROSPECTS. 

Opcniri}?  of  tlio  first  mine  —  Mr.  C.  F.  Bennett  and  Mr.  Smith  MacKay  —  Tilt 

Cove  and  Bett's  Cove. 

It  wjis  not  till  a  comparativeh''  recent  date  that  some  of  tlio 
jjrimniosl-lookinjj:  rocks  of  NewfomKllaiid  were  known  to  con- 
tain  mineral  treasures  of  enormous  value.  People  were  at  iirst 
slow  to  believe  in  the  possibility  of  this  despised  outlyiniJj  l>()i"- 
tion  of  creation  containinir  de[)osits  of  valuable  minerals ;  those 
who  persisted  in  searching  for  them  were  regarded  as  vision- 
aries. To-day,  however,  Newfoundland  stands  sixth  among 
the  copper-producing  countries  of  the  globe.  The  tirst  mine 
was  opened  in  l.S(U  ;  and  though  at  tirst  mining  was  prosecuted 
in  a  languid  way,  productive  returns  quickened  o})erat  ions : 
new  deposits  were  speedily  discovered  and  worked,  and  at  the 
end  of  187!>  the  Customs'  returns  showed  that  copper  and 
nickel  ore  to  the  value  of  a  million  pounds  sterling  had  been 
exported.  Mining  villages  sprang  up,  having  a  considerable 
population,  where  formerly  a  few  detached  huts  of  lishermen 
had  stood.  A  small  licet  of  vessels  was  employed  in  convey- 
ing the  ore  to  Swansea.  A  rush  to  secure  mineral  lands  took 
place,  and  the  shores  of  Xotrc  Dame  Bay,  where  the  ore  was 
found,  were  caojorlv  covered  with  minin<;  licences  atid  mining 
land  grants.  Six  or  seven  mines  were  soon  in  operation,  and 
great  heaps  of  ore  accumulated  at  ditierent  points  awaiting 
(344) 


m 


riOXEEIi    WORK  A\D  PROSPECTS. 


r.i:, 


shipment.  Si)eculution  ran  high,  and  an  e-vtent  of  comiliy 
forty  to  fifty  miles  in  length  and  tivo  or  six  miles  in  l»ie;i(lth 
was  taken  ui)  1)y  speenlators.  Even  men  who  tbrnicrly  rd'nscMl 
to  believe  in  anything  l)ut  codfish  and  seals  in  connection  wilh 
the  country  were  now  found  among  the  most  eager  copper- 
hunters.  The  work  still  goes  on  steadily,  but  tin;  <(>pper 
fever  has  abated  to  some  extent,  and  now  sober  ca|)italists  are 
at  work  develo[)ing  mineral  resource's  which  the  bi'st  jmlgi's 
pronounce  to  be  of  vast  extent  and  great  value.  (Jcologi^ls 
inform  us  that  the  area  of  mineral  lands  exceeds  tive  thousand 
square  miles.  The  serpentine;  rovks  in  which  the  ore  is  found 
are  spread  over  this  great  s[)acc,  and  wherever  these  occur  a 
search  may  be  made  with  some  probaI)ility  of  success. 

]Mr.  C.  F.  Bennett  was  the  pioneer  of  mining  entei'pi-isc  in 
Newfoundland.  For  some  time  he  stood  in  a  minority  of  one 
as  a  believer  in  the  existence  of  minerals  in  the  island.  To 
Mr.  Smith  MacKay,  however,  beloiurs  the  honor  of  discovering 
the  first  considerable  deposit  of  coi)[)er  ore.  This  enterprising 
and  intelligent  explorer,  when  making  a  tour  in  the  northern 
})art  of  the  island,  in  lb.")?,  arrived  at  a  little  ti>hing-hamiet, 
called  Tilt  Cove,  containing  ten  or  a  dozen  huts,  llis  ex- 
perienced eye  soon  detected  in  one  of  the  dill's  signs  of  copper 
ore.  It  was  not,  however,  till  18()4  that,  in  conjunction  with 
Mr.  Beimett,  he  connuenced  mining  oi)erations  here,  which 
have  gone  on,  with  more  or  less  activity,  ever  since,  upon  the 
de()osit  then  discovered,  and  which,  as  yet,  shows  no  si^n  of 
exhaustion.  At  the  end  of  IHTO  Tilt  Cove  iMine  had  yielded 
close  on  50,000  tons  of  eo[)per  ore,  valued  at  $l,.")7:i,l ")  I,  and 
nickel  ore  worth  $;32,740. 

Tilt  Cove  Mine,  however,  was  completely  eclipsed  by  lirtt's 
Cove  Mine,  a  dozen  miles  farther  south,  which  was  opcneil  in 
1875.  It  was  secured  by  Mr.  Francis  Ellershausen,  a  gentle- 
man of  great  energy  and  sagacity,  who  had  sptsedily  a  thousand 
miners  at  work  here;  and  in  the  second  year  took  from  it 
20,000  tons  of  ore,  and  in  the  third  year  more  tiian  d()ul)l('  that 
quantity.  In  1879  the  total  quantity  of  ore  exi)()rted  by  Mr. 
Ellershausen  amounted  to  125,;j5<>  tons,  valued  al  :!>2,1)82,'S;U). 
In  this  return,  however,  was  included  some  ore  from  a  new 


'  ♦; :  i 


'ffe 


,« 


!  H. 


.1 


1^! 


I 


ii 


il* 


I 


<\  111 


-I 


340 


XEWFOUXDLAXD. 


mine,  !it  Lidli'  Day,  opened  in  isT.s.  The  liLst-nnnud  iniin' 
has  tlivown  tlu;  others  eonipletel}'  into  the  shade,  and  may  Ix' 
rei;iirde(l  as  one  of  tlie  most  vahiablo  eo[)})er  mines  in  iho  woi-Jd, 
The  retniMis  tVom  Little  Bay  ^linc  show  an  avernirc  yieUl  of 
•>(),{)()()  tons  j)ei'  annum.  Other  mines  have  been  ()i)eni'd  and 
worki'd  with  mon;  or  less  sueeess  nt  Seal  ]>ay,  Ivoherts  Arm, 
Colchester  in  .S.\V.  Arm  of  Green  liay,  Hall's  J>ay,  and  Xaked 
^lan. 

It  is  remarkable  that  the  ore  in  these  mines  is  not  in  veins, 
hut  in  hui;e  sheets  or  hunches  of  "reater  or  smaller  dimensions. 


COPl'EK    MINIi,    liETT'd    COVK. 

One  of  these  was  reached  in  Bett's  Cove  mine  sixty  feet  in 
dejjth.  Tiu^  strata  are  nuich  corruiruted,  and  the  masses  of  ore 
are  found  to  he  <»"reatest  towards  the  a>a's  of  tin;  corru^'ations, 
while  strings  .'ind  leads  often  run  in  the  course  of  the  small 
faults  and  cracks.  Operations  at  l)elt's  Cove  were  carri<'d  on 
in  ii  thorough  manner.  An  iron  tramway  connected  th(»  mouth 
of  the  mine  with  the  liarl)or  :  a  lini;  wharf  eiuihty  feet  in  length 
M'as  built   for  the    acconmiodation  of  shi[)[)inji" ;    and    smelting 


PIONEER    WORK  AXD  PR  OS  PEC  TS. 


347 


<'<l  luiiic 
iu;iy  l)(. 
«  World. 
•i('l«l  of 
lU'd  iind 
t'^  Anil. 
I  -Niikc(i 


furnaces  Avcrc  erected.  Little  Bay  ^linc  was  worked  in  the 
same  energetic  way,  and  with  satisfactory  results. 

These  mines  are  all  situated  around  the  shores  of  the  great 
Bay  of  Notre  Dame.  Until  the  interior  is  opened  ])y  roads  and 
railways  and  ex])l()red  this  will  be  the  chief  scene  of  minins; 
enteri)rise.  Notre  Danie  Bay  contains  numerous  arms,  the 
lai'gest  of  which  are  Green  Bay  and  Hall's  Iiay.  The  whok; 
l)eniiisula  l)etwecn  these  arm.-  is  of  serj)cntine  formation  and 
highly  metalliferous.  Numerous  discoveries  of  c()|)i)er  ore  have 
been  made  in  various  i)laces,  but  tiie  holders  of  the  licenses,  not 
l)eing  possessed  of  capital  suflii-ient  to  work  their  "claims," 
await  the  arrival  of  mining  capitalists,  with  whom  they  wouhl 
willingly  come  to  terms.  Many  large  islands  in  Notre  Dame 
Vy.iy  are  also  of  .serpentine  formation,  and  in  them  several 
promising  discoveries  have  been  made. 

It  is  not  in  the  serpentine  that  the  ore  is  found,  but  immedi- 
ately associated  with  a  chloritic  slate,  very  ferrugiiious,  v^  hich 
occurs  both  above  and  Ix'low  the  ser[)entinc.  A\'her(>  the  ser- 
pentine appears  there  is  always  a  i)ossibility  that  this  ore-bear- 
ing chloritic  slate;  may  be  found,  so  that  the  serpentine  Ix'comes 
a  guide  to  prospectors,  ^^'here  no  serpentine  i*;.  it  is  vain  to 
look  for  ore,  but  there  are  vast  develo[)ments  of  serpentine 
without  any  indications  of  ore.  ^fr.  Murray  says  in  a  recent 
report:  "The  ores  of  coi)per,  usually  suli)hurets,  are  found  dis- 
seminated, or  in  layers,  with  iron  pyrites  in  the  chlorite  slates 
and  dioritic  beds,  but  tlu'  more  solid  and  valuable  ones  are  con- 
centrated in  the  folds  and  dislocations,  particularly  in  the  niag- 
nesian  portion,  by  which  the  formation  has  been  allecti'd.  The 
ores  are  also  of  freijueiit  occurrence  in  white  <piai'tz  veins  near 
the  same  horizon.  The  surface  rocks  whei'c  these  deposits 
exist  is  usually  of  a  reddish  rust.y-brown  color,  scored  by  re- 
markable minute  reticulations  which  weather  in  relief,  giving  a 
marke(l  and  i)ecidiar  as[)ect,  which  once  seen  is  easily  recog- 
nized, and  nia.v  serve  as  a  trustworthy  guide  to  e\[)lorers  in 
making  [)reliminary  examination  of  the  ground." 


ii.'i 


1(1* 


■1    ■•] 


K: 


J  !i 


ii 


348 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


CHAPTER  II. 


M 


METALLIFEROUS   DEPOSITS   AND  COAL   AREAS. 

The  Quebec  Group  of  the  Lower  Silurian  Series-^ Mr.  Murray  du  tla'  oro 
deposits  of  Tilt  Cove  —  Areas  of  the  Serpentine  Series  —  Newfoumllaiil  as 
a  copper-producing  country  —  Professor  Stewart's  report  —  The  luirifirous 
rocks  of  Nova  Scotia  and  Newfoundland  —  Mr.  Sclwyn's  opinion  —  Dis- 
coveries of  precious  metals  —  Mr.  JIurray  on  the  prospects  of  i,n)hl-inininj:  — 
Lead,  gypsum,  and  slate — Mr.  Jukes  on  the  coal  seams  of  St.  George's 
Bay  and  np  the  Codroy  River — Conditions  on  which  land  licenses  are 
granted  —  Exports  of  copper  and  nickel. 

Thus  it  is  evident  that  the  laij_e  development  of  the  r^eri)en- 
tine  rocks  in  the  island  must  he  regarded  as  a  fact  of  i)riiiiaiy 
importance.  These  serpentines  belong  to  "what  in  Canadian 
gcoloiry  is  termed  the  Quebec  Group  of  the  Lower  Sihirian 
Series.  "This  grouj),"  says  Sir  William  Logan,  "may  con- 
veniently be  separated  into  three  divisions,  the  middle  one  of 
which  has  proved  rich  in  metalliferous  disposits  in  its  course 
from  the  Southern  Atlantic  States  of  the  American  Union  to 
Canada,  and  through  Eastern  Canada  to  Gasi)e."  This  middle 
division,  called  the  Lauzon  division,  is  the  one  which  is 
develo[)ed  in  Newfoundland,  and  in  which  all  the  eopi)er  mines 
arc  situated.  "The  Lauzon  division,"  says  Sir  William  Logan, 
"was  at  tirst  united  with  the  Levis  division,  l)ut  has  been 
separated  from  it  on  account  of  its  great  mineralogical  im[)or- 
tance  and  distinctness,  it  being  the  metalliferous  zone  of  the 
Lower  SiJuriaii  in  North  America.  It  is  rich  in  cop[)er  ores, 
chielly  as  interstratitied  cui)riferous  slate^^,  and  is  accompanied 
by  silver,  gold,  nickel,  and  chromium  ores." 

Li  the  "American  elournal  of  Science  "for  May,  1801,  Dr. 
Sterry  Hunt  thus  expresses  his  views  in  reference  to  the  eco- 
nomic value  of  the  (Quebec  Grou{>:  "The  Quebec  Groiq)  is  of 
considerable  economic  interest,  inasmuch  as  it  is  the  great  metal- 
liferous formation  of  North  America.     To  it  belongs  the  gold 


METALLIFEROUS  DEPOSITS,   ETC. 


349 


which  is  found  along  the  Appalachian  Chain  from  Canada  to 
Georgia,  together  with  lead,  zinc,  copper,  silver,  col^alt,  nickel, 
chrome,  and  titanium.  I  have  long  since  called  attention  to  the 
constant  association  of  the  latter  metals,  particularly  chrome  and 
nickel,  with  the  ophiolites,  and  other  magnesian  ji'ocks  of  this 
series,  while  they  are  wanting  in  similar  rocks  of  the  Laurentian 
age.  TJie  immense  deposits  of  coi)per  ore  in  East  Tennessee,  and 
the  similar  ores  in  Lower  Canada,  both  of  which  are  inl)eds  sub- 
ordinate to  the  stratification,  l)elong  to  this  group.  The  lead, 
copper,  zinc,  cobalt,  and  nickel  of  Missouri  and  the  copper  of 
Lake  Superior,  also  occur  in  rocks  of  the  same  age,  which 
api)ears  to  be  preeminently  the  metalliferous  period." 

In  a  paper  contributed  to  "  The  Journal  of  the  Society  of 
Arts  "Mr.  Murray  says:  "I  may  l)roadly  state  that  the  ore 
de[)osits  of  Tilt  Cove  occur  under  conditions  strikingly  similar 
to  those  known  in  Eastern  Canada,  and  to  characterize  rocks  of 
contemi)oraneous  origin.  The  metallic  material  is  arranged  in 
isolated,  irregularly  sha[)cd  masses,  tiu'ough  a  set  of  strata  con- 
formini''  with  beds  above  and  below,  of  a  calcareo-ma<>nesium 
(juality,  and  that  these  beds  are  succeeded  on  the  north  i»y  a  great 
l)()(ly  t)f  seri)entine.  As  far  as  I  have  hitherto  seen,  and  from  all 
the  information  I  have  been  able  to  gather,  the  copper  will,  in 
this  country,  most  frequently  be  found  to  occur  in  a  similar 
manner — that  is  to  say,  in  beds  rather  than  in  regular  veins  or 
lodes.  I  think  it  right  to  call  particular  attention  to  tiie  facts 
of  this  case,  and  to  express  a  strong  ojjinion,  for  the  benelit  of 
atlventurers  or  explorers,  that  the  immediate  neighborhood  of 
the  seri)entine  rocks,  wherever  they  maybe  found  to  exist,  will 
be  the  most  probable  jjosition  for  their  labors  to  bo  crowned  with 
success.  These  seri)entines,  besides  being  associated  with  many 
valuable  metallic  substances,  frecjuently  all'ord  a  beautiful  va- 
riety of  marble,  which  in  many  cases  might  of  itself  prove  of 
coTisiderable  im[)ortance,  added  to  which  may  be  enumerated  the 
fre(iuent  occurrence  of  soap-stone,  asbestos,  and  talc.  Chromic 
iron  is  frecjuently  associated  with  the  serpentine,  and  may 
l)robably  be  discovered  in  some  parts  in  workable  ((iianlities." 

Thus  then  science,  conlirmed  by  actual  experiment,  [joints  to 
Xewfoundlaud  us  one  of  the  great  copper-bearing  regions  of  tho 


m 


n 


350 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


% 

I 


illl 


^V 


i 


s\'- 


'i   !:i 


world.  It  holds  u  wide  development  of  that  metalliferous  zone 
"whieh  ill  other  Xorth  American  eountries  has  yielded  ahundanct,' 
of  valual)lc  mineral.  The  question  arises  :  "  What  is  tin;  extent 
of  the  seri)entine  rocks  in  the  island?"  Mr.  Murray's  /jfeoloLiJcal 
mai)enal)les  us  to  answer  that  c^uestion.  Connnenciiiir  ;it  ('ape 
Xornian,  the  extreme  northerly  point  of  th((  i.-land,  \ve  liiid  ser- 
pent ine  developments  of  considerable  exti'ut  from  Pistolet  IJny 
to  Hare  Bay,  while  another  si)read  extends  along  the  coa>t  lo 
Canada  Ua}'.  At  Cape  8t.  John  l)e_<;ins  the  jxreat  seri)eiitinc 
dcveloi)ment  in  which  are  situated  all  the  existinu' mines.  The 
whole  shores  of  the  Great  Bay  of  Notre  Dame,  togetherwidi  its 
cluster  of  islands,  are  of  the  ser])entine  formation.  This  hdt 
may  be  estimated  at  a  length  of  forty  nules,  the  breadth  bfJDg 
yet  undetermined,  without  taking  tlu?  islands  into  account. 
The  greatest  s[)read  of  the  ser[)entine  rocks  is  in  the  (landcr 
country,  where  as  yet  they  are  unexplored.  Kound  the  shores 
of  l>onne  liay  and  Bay  of  Islands  there  are  also  large  (lcvel()|)- 
ments  of  serpentine.  Indeed,  there  are  strong  grounds  for  be- 
lieving that  tlie  serpentine  formation  runs  across  the  whole 
island  ;  and  as  the  interior  is  yet  unexplored,  it  may  come  to  the 
surface  in  many  places  far  iidand.  It  nmst  be  remembered, 
too,  that  these  remarks  apply  to  the  i)rospects  of  copjjcr 
mining  alone  ;  and  that  in  other  })arts  of  the  island*  lead  and 
other  ores  are  found,  and  give  promise  of  very  encouraging 
develoi)ments. 

^Ir.  dames  P.  Howley,  gives  the  following  trustworthy  esti- 
mate of  the  areas  of  the  serpentine  series  in  Newfoimdland  :  — 


Between  Hare  and  Pistolet  Bays 
North  from  Bonne  Bay  . 
South  from  Hare  Bay 
South  from  iionne  Bay  . 
South  i'roni  Bay  of  Islands 
Surrounding  Notre  Dame  Bay 
Gander  Lake  and  Kiver  country 
Bay  d'Est  Kiver     . 

Total  .... 


Square  niilcB. 

2;30 

;}5(.) 

175 

150 

182 

1,400 

:.\810 

aoo 

,  :»,ou7 


METALTAFEROUS  DEPOSITS,    ETC. 


3:)1 


Tlic  foroiroinir  ("ilciilalion,  ^vlli(•Il  is  made  by  one  thovouiihly 
!ic(iiiaint('(l  with  the  coimtrv,  sliows  how  iwlonsivo  arc  the  min- 
eral lands  of  the  island,  re<|uii'ini;  many  years  for  their  thorouiih 
cxi)lonition  and  development.  In  the  most  extensive  of  the.-e 
areas  —  the  (lander  River  country  —  no  prospector  has  yet  tried 
his  fortune.  Tlu;  irreat  success  of  niininu',  especially  at  l>ett"s 
Cove  and  Little  Hay,  shows  what  possioijities  exist  in  connection 
with  the  prosecution  of  this  industry,  which  is  yet  in  its  infancy. 
The  discovery  of  fresh  de^josits  is  constantly  takinj^  place  ;  and 
the  next  ten  or  twenty  years  will  witn(>ss,  in  all  probaltility,  a 
wonderful  exi)ansion  of  mininj^  enteri)rise.  It  woidd  seem  that 
only  capital  and  skill  are  neethnl  to  insure  success. 

There  is  no  man  whose;  opinion  on  the  mineral  n^soui-cen 
of  the  country'  is  more  worthy  of  respect  than  that  of  Mr. 
^Murray,  —  a  careful  and  cautious  o])server,  and  one  of  the  most 
skilli'd  <i'eolo<rists  of  Xorth  America.  After  a  survey  of  a  larire 
portion  of  \hv  mininjj  rejfioji,  he  thus  speaks,  in  his  lve))oi't,  of 
the  Geological  Survc.'y  of  1S7,')  :  "  I  feel  hound  to  state  that  the 
ex[)erieneo  of  the  late  invest itrat ion  convinci-s  me  more  than 
ever  that  many  of  thi'  northern  parts  of  this  isjiuid,  and  the 
great  Bay  of  Xotre  D.uiie  in  i)articular,  are  destined  to  develo]) 
into  ureat  mininij:  centres,  should  lapital  and  skilled  lalior 
be  brouirht  to  bear  in  that  direction.  The  fre<iuenl  repetition 
of  the  miucral-bearing  strata,  associated  with  serpentine,  ehlo- 
ritic  slates,  and  diorites,  maintaining  a  nearly  uniform  iliaracter 
throughout  their  distribution,  and  invariably  exhibitinu"  mctallif- 
erous  indications,  all  seem  to  warrant  the  expression  of  such  an 
oi)inion."  .  .  .  "The  ores  of  cojjper,  usually  sulphiu'ets, 
are  found  disseminated,  or  in  layers  with  iron  pyrites,  in  the 
chloritie  slates  and  diorilic  beds;  but  the  more  solid  and 
valuable  ores  are  conccntrate(l  in  the  folds  and  dislocations 
(particularly  the  magnesian  portion)  by  which  tlie  formation  has 
been  aH'cctcMl.  jn  addition  to  the  ores  of  copper,  ores  of  nickel, 
magnetic,  chromic,  and  s[)icular  iron,  lead  and  sulphur  ores  have 
been  found  in  abundance,  and  traces  of  the  precious  metals 
have  occasionally  been  found  always  near  tlu^  same  hori/.on. 
The  usual  foi'iii  of  the  nickel  oi'cs  is  that  of  arsenical  or  co})per 
nickel ;  but  it  also  occurs  as  millerite,  or  nickel  i)yrites  ;  and  us 


m 


' '  i 


f!i.  : 


*  ii 


352 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


I 


fsi-i'" 


■1 

if 

V 

clo.'inthito,  or  an  allied  species  wliich  is  of  a  .steel  gray  or  pale 
ruby-red  color." 

Til  a  paper  published  in  the  "  Journal  of  the  Royal  Geo- 
graphical Society,"  in  1877,  ^Ir.  ^Murray  says  :  "  There  is  every 
prohahility  that  vast  tracts  on  both  sides  and  centre  of  ihe 
island  contain  metallic  ores  of  great  value  and  importance. 
The  chief  cf  these  ai*e  co|)i)er,  nickel,  lead,  and  iron,  which  are 
usually  more  or  less  nearly  associated  with  serpentine  and  other 
magnesian  rocks  of  Lower  Silurian  age.  The  })resence  of  the 
precious  metals  has  been  indicated  I)y  analj'sis  at  a  few  parts, 
and  native  silver  is  said  to  have  been  foimd  at  Fortune  Wwy. 
There  can  hardly  bo  a  doubt  that  the  I'ay  of  Xotre  Dame,  par- 
ticularly, will  soon  become  a  ureat  niininoj  centre." 

Professor  Stewart,  an  American  mining  expert  of  high 
standing  and  great  exi)erience,  visited  Notre  Dame  Baj^  in  ISNO. 
In  a  lecture  delivere<l  in  St.  John's,  on  his  return  from  his 
explorations,  he  declared  that  ho  had  formed  a  most  favorable 
()l)inion  l)oth  as  regards  the  extent  of  the  mineral  deposits  and 
the  ([uality  of  the  ore.  The  following  are  extracts  from  the 
rejjort  of  his  lecture  in  one  of  the  local  newsi)apers :  "ITo 
described  the  copper  ore  as  a  beautiful  yellow  sulphuret,  free 
from  arsenic  or  any  undesirable  ingredient,  with  a  little  iron, 
and  containing  from  eight  to  twelve  per  cent,  of  pure  copper. 
He  had  never  seen  tiner  coi)i)er  ore  in  the  course  of  his  expe- 
rience. The  character  of  the  rocks  in  which  it  occurred  was 
such  as  to  give  an  absolute  assurance  of  perpetuity  in  the 
working.  These  rocks  were  metamorphosed  and  laminated, 
and  the  extent  of  mineral  indication  over  extensive  areas  was 
such  as  rendered  exhaustion  in  the  working  a  practical  imi)ossi- 
bility.  A  more  })romising  mining  ticdd  for  copper  ho  had  not 
seen  anywhere.  No  fear  whatever  need  be  entertained  that 
these  mines  would  become  exhausted.  Judging  by  the  laws 
which  govern  mineral  deposits,  the  depth  of  the  vein  is  such  as 
to  riMider  them  })ractically  inexhaustible.  II(>  had  traversed  a 
region  between  liittle  Bay  and  Hall's  I>ay,  where  his  party  had 
seen  so  nuu'h  copi)cr  that  they  were  fairly  surfeited.  He  said  that 
before  coming  here  he  had  men^ly  heard  that  there  were  some 
copper  mines ;  l)ut  when  he  came  he  felt  astounded  at  what  had 


METALLIFEROUS  DEPOSITS,   ETC. 


353 


'ITo 


been  done  in  copper-mining  in  the  short  space  of  five  years. 
He  found  that  already  Newfoundland  stood  sixth  in  the  roll  of 
the  copper-producing  countries  of  the  world,  and  that  (hiring 
the  last  five  years  copper  ore  had  been  extracted  to  the  value 
of  four  million  dollars,  and  about  one  million  dollars  had 
)>c'on  spent  on  mining  plant  alone.  He  expressed  his  admira- 
tion of  Little  Bay  jNIine,  which  was  yielding  two  thousand 
tons  of  ore  monthly.  Looking  to  the  future,  ho  had  every 
reason  to  believe  that  Newfoundland  was  destined  to  become 
one  of  the  greatest  copper-mining  countries  in  the  world,  and 
he  believed  that  this  industry  alone  would  yet  raise  it  to  a  very 
high  place.  He  expressed  himself  as  delighted  with  the 
])eautiful  scenery  of  the  island,  and  impressed  with  the  immense 
natural  advantages  presented  in  these  grand  bays  and  arms  of 
the  sea,  which  penetrate  so  far  inland,  and  enabled  ships  of  any 
size  to  load  ore  or  other  products  near  the  spot  where  they 
were  raised.  He  predicted  a  great  and  prosperous  future  for 
the  island  when  its  natural  riches  were  turned  to  account." 

Copper  is  by  no  means  the  only  ore  found  in  the  country. 
In  the  lower  geological  formations,  which  are  largely  represented, 
the  existence  of  ores  of  various  kinds,  and  of  other  valuable 
economic  materials,  has  been  ascertained.  ^lagnetic  iron  oie 
has  been  found,  though  not  yet  in  large  masses,  in  the 
Laurentian ;  the  presence  of  the  precious  metal  is  indicated  in 
the  Cambrian ;  while  lead  ore  has  been  found  in  workable 
(jutuitities  in  the  Huronian  and  Lower  Silurian.  Coal  has  been 
found  in  pretty  extensive  beds  in  the  Carboniferous.  Thus, 
while  the  great  beds  of  serpentine  hold  the  cojjper  treas  ires, 
present  indications  Avarrant  the  belief  that  the  Huronian  rocks 
contain  the  precious  metals,  and  especially  that  extensive  and 
valuable  deposits  of  lead  are  to  be  found.  The  whole  island, 
therefore,  may  be  fairly  regarded  as  more  or  less  metalliferous, 
while  on  the  western  coast  the  coal  areas  have  yet  to  be  turned 
to    account. 

^Ir.  Murray  has  repeatedly  expressed  in  his  reports  his  belief 
that  the  equivalents  of  the  auriferous  rocks  of  Nova  Scotia  are 
developed  in  Newfoundland.  Mr.  Selwyn,  director  of  the 
Geological   Survey  of  Canada,  is   of  opinion   that  the   gold- 


,!^'t' 


354 


NE  WF  0  UNDLA  ND. 


I  ^ 


it^i 


bearing  rocks  of  Nova  Scotia  are  the  representatives  of  the 
Cambrian  and  lowest  members  of  the  Silurian  system.  It  was 
not  till  1)S<S0  that  any  discoveries  of  am'iferous  quart/-  were 
made  in  Newfoundland.  In  that  year  certain  discoveries  wcr(> 
made  near  Brigus,  Conception  Bay,  which  induced  Mr.  Murray 
to  visit  the  locality.  lie  tested  one  spot  Avith  the  following 
results,  as  described  in  his  report :  "By  the  first  blast  from  two 
to  three  cubic  feet  of  rock  was  removed,  all  of  which  was 
carefully  broken  up,  washed,  and  examined;  which  opei-atioii 
finally  resulted  in  the  display  of  ten  or  twelve  distinct  'sights' 
of  gold.  In  one  fragment,  about  live  pounds'  weight,  laigcly 
charged  with  dark-green  chlorite,  the  gold  shows  itself  in  three 
places  distinctly,  while  many  small  specks  arc  percept il»Ie  liy 
means  of  a  good  lens.  The  fracture  of  a  fragment  of  milky 
white  and  translucent  quartz,  which  was  broken  off  the  larg(^ 
I")iece,  revealed  two  patches  of  gold,  both  of  which  togc'ther,  if 
removed  from  the  matrix,  would  probably  produce  about  one 
pennyweight  of  the  metal ;  whilst  several  small  masses  or 
nuggets  were  found  adhering  to  the  small  broken  fragments  of 
quartz  at  the  bottom  of  the  pail  in  which  the  /ock  was  Avashed, 
the  largest  of  which  contained  about  ten  or  twelve  grains  of 
gold."  .  .  .  .  "  That  a  large  area  of  the  countrj'  in  the 
regions  referred  to  is  auriferous  there  can  scarcely  be  a  doubt, 
although  nothing  short  of  actual  mining  and  practical  experience 
can  possibly  prove  what  the  value  of  the  produce  may  be.  or 
Avhether  the  prospects  of  ol)taining  a  renuraerative  return  for 
the  necessary  outla}''  are  favorable  or  otherwise."  His  report 
concludes  in  the  following  words  :  "  The  indications  of  gold  in 
this  country  then  are  certainly  sufficiently  favoralde  to  merit  a 
fair  trial.  And  there  are  good  reasons  to  hope  and  expect  that 
ample  capital  applied  to  skilled  and  judicious  labor  may  be 
found  remunerative  to  future  adventurers  ;  while  a  new  industry 
will  be  added  to  give  employment  to  the  laboring  population  of 
the  island,  and  possibly  bring  this  despised  and  but  little- 
known  colony  into  more  prominence  and  consideration  abroad 
than  it  hitherto  has  enjoyed." 

"Whatever  the  future  may  determine  regarding  gold,  there  is 
no  doubt  that  the  island  is  rich  in  lead  ore.     This  ore  is  not  con- 


METALLIFEROUS  DEPOSITS,   ETC. 


355 


fined  to  any  one  formation,  the  i)rescncc  of  that  metal  having 
been  observed  a.s  low  as  the  Laurentian  and  as  high  as  the  Coal 
measures.  Lead  was  first  discovered  at  La  Blanche,  near  the 
north-eastern  extremity  of  Plaeentia  Bay,  where  workings  were 
carried  on  for  several  j'cars.  The  vein  which  was  worked  her<' 
is  from  three  to  six  feet,  and  is  chiefly  of  calc  spar.  The  ore  is 
distributed  irregularly  through  the  whole  thickness  of  the  vein, 
and  sometimes  in  pockets.  Professor  Shephard,  of  America, 
who  examine;!  it,  placed  it  on  a  par  with  some  of  the  most 
valuable  lead  deposits  of  the  New  AVorld,  and  estimated  that 
the  part  of  the  vein  he  examined  "  would  yield  .30,000  cubic 
feet  of  solid  galena,  giving  a  product  of  upwards  of  thirteen 
millions  of  pounds."  An  English  mining  cngmeer  said  of  it : 
"The  (piality  of  the  ore  is  very  line,  and  commands  the  highest 
price  in  the  English  market.  It  will  produce  about  H2  per 
cent,  of  metallic  lead.  It  also  contains  some  silver."  This 
mine,  however,  has  not  proved  a  success,  notwithstanding  its 
promising  appearance.  It  has  never,  however,  been  worked 
by  men  having  either  skill  or  capital. 

In  1875  a  rich  deposit  of  lead  ore  was  found  at  Port-a-Port, 
on  the  western  shore,  and  was  worked  for  a  short  time  with 
very  promising  results;  but,  on  the  protest  of  the  French,  the 
Imi)erial  authorities  ordered  the  work  to  be  stopped.  Now  that 
the  French  Shore  diflSculty  is  settled,  as  far  as  the  territorial 
rights  are  concerned,  it  is  likely  this  mine  will  soon  be  reopened. 

Magnetic  iron  ore  has  been  found  at  Cairn  Mountain,  in  St. 
George's  Bay.  ]Mr.  Murray  anticipates,  from  various  indica- 
tions, that  its  existence  will  l)o  discovered  alonj;  the  ranijre  of 
the  Laurentian  Hills. 

Gypsun;  is  found  in  immense  devolopments.  IMr.  Murray 
says  :  "  This  mineral  gypsum  is  perhaps  distril)iitcd  more  pro- 
fusely and  in  greater  voUune  in  the  carboniferous  country  of 
the  lirst  area  than  in  any  part  of  the  American  continent  of  the 
same  extent."  There  are  enormous  developments  of  gypsum 
at  Codroy  and  around  St.  George's  Bay.  Marbles  too,  of 
almost  every  shade  of  color,  have  been  produced  from  various 
parts  of  the  coast,  on  both  the  eastern  and  western  shores ; 


*•■  i 


II  i|!| 


!  il 


Jm' 


356 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


'  X   I 


fill'  I 


% 


^-i  a 


« 


while  granite  of  the  finest  quality,  building  stones,  Avhetstonos, 
and  limestones  are  in  ample  profusion. 

Another  material  which  the  island  can  supply  in  abundance 
is  roofing-slate.  The  best  slate  quarries  yet  opened  arc  in 
Smith's  Sound,  and  Random  Island,  Trinity  Bay.  The  de- 
velopment here  is  very  extensive,  sufficient  to  supply  half 
the  continent  of  America,  if  duly  worked ;  and  the  quality  i^ 
declared  ..y  good  authority  to  be  equal  to  the  best  Welsh  slate. 
Ml'.  Murray  says  of  them:  "Judging  of  the  quality  of  the 
specimens  which  were  brought  from  Smith's  Sound,  and  the 
thickness  of  strata  attributed  to  their  place  in  the  formation, 
together  with  ther  pi'oximity  to  the  sea,  these  slates,  when  fully 
developed,  can  hardly  fail  to  prove  of  very  considerable  com- 
mercial importance." 

In  the  rocks  of  the  carboniferous  age,  which  cover  extensive 
areas  on  the  west  coast,  it  is  now  placed  beyond  all  douljt  that 
there  arc  large  workable  seams  of  coal.  Mr.  Jukes  paid  a 
visit  forty  years  ago  to  St.  George's  Bay.  On  the  south  side 
of  the  bay,  near  Cral)b's  River,  and  about  eight  miles  from  the 
coast,  he  found  a  seam  of  coal  three  feet  in  thickness,  of  excel- 
lent quality,  l)eing  cannel-coal.  As  the  top  was  wanting,  he 
concluded  that  it  belonged  to  a  still  thicker  bed.  He  says  in 
his  report :  "  There  is  no  doubt  of  there  being  more  beds  in 
this  vicinity,  and  of  the  probability  of  all  the  centre  of  this 
low  district  being  occupied  by  a  productive  coal  field.  Up 
the  Codroy  River,  in  a  similar  parallel,  beds  equally  valuable 
are  reported  to  exist."  From  fair  data  Mr.  Jukes  calculated 
the  extent  of  this  small  portion  of  the  coal  basin  of  Newfound- 
land at  about  twenty-five  miles  wide  by  ten  in  length.  i\Ir 
^lurray  has  laid  down  the  position  of  an  outcrop  upon  his 
map,  in  order  to  show  where  workable  seams  Avere  likely  to 
occur  in  St.  Geoi'ge's  Bay,  and  he  calculates  that  the  plan 
of  one  seam,  there  drawn  as  three  feet  in  thickness,  and  occu- 
pying an  area  of  thirty-eight  square  miles,  contains  54,720,000 
chaldrons  of  coal,  or  1,425,000  chaldrons  per  square  mile.  A 
very  considerable  portion  of  this  he  believes  will  be  found 
within  workable  depth  ;  and  this  is  but  one  of  the  many  seams 
that  may  yet  be  found  in  the  area  between  Cape  Anguille  and 


METALLIFEROUS  DEPOSITS,   ETC 


.*].'>  7 


i- 


the  head  of  St.  George's  Bay.  The  whole  carboniferous  area 
of  the  western  coast  occupies  three  distinct  areas,  which  Mr. 
Murra}' designates  the  "St.  George's  Trough,  the  Port-a-Port 
Trough,  and  the  inhind  Trough  of  Ilumber  River  and  (J rami 
Lake."  "The  latter  trough,"  he  says,  "in  its  western  outrrop 
strikes  inland  from  the  lower  end  of  Deer  Lake  towards  AcU'i^'s 
Pond,  and  then  along  the  left  bank  of  the  river  towards  the 
western  shores  of  White  Bay.  The  eastern  outcrop  runs  along 
the  edge  of  the  upper  end  of  Deer  Lake  towards  the  Grand 
Lake.  If  the  workable  beds  of  Cape  Breton  exist  at  all  in  tht 
central  trough  of  Newfoundland,  the  country  where  they  may 
be  expected  to  be  found  will  be  the  region  l)etween  the  IIinnl)er 
Kiver  and  Sandy  Lake,  where  there  is  ample  room  to  bring  in 
a  sufficient  accumulation  of  thickness."  Mr.  Jukes  gives  it  as 
his  o{)inion  that  "  it  is  highly  probable  that  coal  may  be  found 
over  the  whole  or  greater  part  of  it." 

Thus  then,  in  addition  to  its  other  resources,  Newfouiulland 
contains,  beyond  all  doubt,  valuable  and  extensive  coal-tields, 
which  are  yet  untouched.  The  projected  Short  Line  Kailway 
will  traverse  the  coal-region,  and  when  it  is  constructed  these 
treasures  will  not  long  remain  undeveloped. 

The  laws  which  regulate  the  sale  or  leasing  of  Crown  lands, 
for  agricultural  purposes  and  mining,  are  very  liberal,  and  well 
calculated  to  promote  the  settlement  of  the  country  and  the 
development  of  its  mineral  resources. 

A  license  may  be  obtained  for  the  occupation  of  ungrantod 
lands,  for  agricultural  purposes,  of  not  less  than  two  hundred 
and  fifty  acres,  or  more  than  one  thousand  acres,  subject  to  the 
condition  that  the  licensee  shall,  within  five  years,  settle  upon 
the  land  at  least  one  family  for  every  two  hundred  and  fifty 
acres  ;  and  within  that  period,  cause  to  be  cleared  and  culti- 
vated, at  least  five  acres  for  every  hundred  acres  so  licensed, 
and  continue  the  same  under  cultivation,  and  continue  the  said 
families  thereon,  or  others  in  lieu  thereof,  for  a  period  of  ten 
years  from  the  expiration  of  the  said  five  years.  Upon  the 
performance  of  which  the  licensee  shall  be  entitled  to  a  grant 
in  fee  of  the  said  land. 

The  governor  in  council  may  issue  free  licenses  of  occupation 


.1^ '  ill 


'   -Si 

'I 


i 


ri 


ill 


Wl' 


>M  I 


■1=1 


m 


m 


358 


A'Z:  TFFO  UXDLAXD. 


in  qutintitios  not  exceeding  fifty  acres,  for  a  term  not  exceedinj^ 
five  years,  of  any  ungrantcd  lands,  to  any  persons  desirous  of 
permanently  settling  on  and  cultivating  the  same  ;  and  to  every 
person  desirous  of  erecting  a  saw-mill  upon  any  such  land  a 
similar  license  for  two  hundred  acres.  Grants  in  fee  of  such 
lands  will  bo  given  to  the  occupiers  at  the  end  of  five  years  if 
they  have  cultivated  two  acres,  and  also  grants  in  fee  to  such  as 
shall  have  erected  a  saw-mill  and  worked  it  for  three  years. 

An  exclusive  right  to  search  for  minerals  for  a  period  not 
exceeding  two  years,  over  a  space  not  exceeding  three  sijuare 
miles,  can  be  obtained  l)y  any  British  sul)ject ;  and  the  person 
obtaining  the  same  has  a  right  to  a  lease  for  eleven  years  of  all 
the  mines  and  minerals  in  one  square  mile  of  the  said  land  (if 
applied  for  within  the  said  tM'o  years),  and  fifty  acres  of 
unoccupied  surface  land.  When  mining  leases  are  obtained  for 
a  term  of  eleven  years,  for  the  minerals  contained  in  one  scjuare 
mile  tUo  lessee  is  l)ound  to  expend,  within  five  years  from  the 
date  of  such  lease,  the  sum  of  ten  thousand  dollars  ;  and  within 
six  years  from  the  expiration  of  the  first  five  years,  the  further 
sum  often  thousand  dollars,  otherwise  the  lease  is  forfeited  and 
reverts  to  the  Crown.  The  foregoing  conditions  being  complied 
with  a  grant  in  a  fee  is  given,  gold  being  reserved.  The  fee 
for  mining  licenses  over  three  square  miles  is  twent^'-fivc 
dollars,  for  mining  leases  f"*^"  dollars,  and  for  subsequent  grants 
in  fee  twenty-five  doUavs.  Gold  is  reserved  in  all  such 
licenses. 

The  following  are  memoranda,  relating  to  minerals,  drawn 
up  by  Alexander  ]Murray,  C.M.G.,  F.G.S.,  and  published  in  a 
paper  which  appeared  in  "Nature"  in  1881. 


(I 


METALLIFEROUS  DEPOSITS,    ETC. 


359 


MEMORANDA : 

SHOWING   TJIE    QUANTITIES    ANU    VALLE    OK    COI'PER   AND    NICKEL    OUEH  EXPORTED 
FROM    THE    ISLAND    OF    NEWFOUNDLAND    IN    THE    UNDERMENTIONED    YEARS. 


Yeors. 

Torts  cleared  from. 

Copper. 

Nickel. 
TonB. 

Pullum. 

Uemarkb,  etc. 

18.U  ) 

TOIIH. 

t(.     \ 

St    John's.. 

C27i 

22,980 

Chiefly  from  Iluronina 

1M(;4  j 

ruck. 

1H7.'.  I 

to     \ 

(< 

544i 

19,179 

I'lirtiv    from   opmlnirs 
lu  fsotre  L)aiiiu  buy. 

1871)  J 

Total 

1,172 

42,1.'.9 

Value  of  Nickel  ore. 

Dollars. 

180!) 

Union  Mine, 

Tilt  Cove 

5,9:58 

30 

190.010 

7,200 

1870 

(1 

4,218 

88 

134,970 

8,800 

1871 

<t 

1,924 

7 

01,5(;8 

700 

1872 

<« 

4,774 

8 

152,708 

2,500 

1873 

li 

5,414 

233 

189.490 

9,320 

1H74 

(t 

4,340 

104,. 304 

1875 

K 

4,838 

17 

179,0(10 

i,;'.oo 

187(J 

i( 

6,4G4 

28 

232.704 

2,800 

1877 

li 

5,389 

194,004 

fl  •  •  • 

1878 

It 

4,430 

97,900 

.... 

1879 

Total... 

1,904 

35,352 

.... 

49,719 

411 

1,572,154 

32,740 

The  ores  returned  for 

187H-7lt  were  lnrj<ely  de- 

1875 

liett's  Cove. 

0,280 
18,070 

23'*  300 

rived   from    I.iitic  Hay 
Mine,  mid  jxirtly  from 
Colclu'.«ter,  all    hcloiif;. 

1870 

<t 

450,481 

1877 

IC 

1  ( 

42,005 
31,370 

1.093,708 

090,140 

34  500 

inij  to  the  Itilt'd  Cove 

1878 

Miiiliii;  ( 'oiiipanv. 

1878 

750 

1  liiir*,  the  t(it:il  of  the 
(ire»    of    Ciiiiprr    and 
Nickel   e.\piirted   Hincc 

187'J 

t  4 

26,4214 

475,587 

1854,    ainiiiints    to   $4,. 

t>J',),H8'.i,  (,r  nearly  £1,- 

Total . . . 

123,5504 

i 

2,982,830 

OOO.OUO  Hterlini,'. 

m 


t 


.  t   !■' 


,.'    J 


'  h   'i 


»  ■  Ij 


'il 


■^% 


PART    VI. 
POPULATICN",    GOYERNMEE'T,    ETC. 


CHAI^ER  I. 

POPULATION  AND  TRADE. 

Statistics  of  1G54  —  Gradual  increase  of  population  —  Religious  denominations  — 
Celtic  and  Saxon  —  Exports  and  imports — Ciiarges  on  revenue  and  tlie 
Customs'  returns. 

The  earliest  estimate  of  the  resident  population  of  the  island 
was  made  in  1G54,  when  it  was  ascertained  that  about  throe 
hundred  and  fifty  families  were  settled  in  the  different  harbors. 
Allowing  an  averag«)  of  five  persons  to  each  family,  the  total 
population  was  then  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty. 

In  1()80  the  connnanders  of  the  convoy  frigates,  on  duty  in 
connection  with  the  fisheries,  collected  statistics  ^rthe  population, 
of  which  the  following  is  an  abstract :  — 

212  Planters  (of  whom  99  wjre  married). 
251  Children. 
1,(!95  Men-servants. 

23  Women-servants. 
454  Head  of  cattle. 

25  Horses. 
3(51  Hoats. 
19G  Stages. 
67,340  Quintals  dried  fish  annually. 
595  Hogsheads  of  train-oil. 

(300) 


POPULATION  AND    TRADE. 


361 


'.(!• 


The  foregoing  refers  to  the  resident  popuhition  of  the  ishuul, 
and  shows  that  their  number  iu  1680  was  two  thousand  two 
hundred  and  eighty. 

At  the  same  time  the  statistics  show  th!»t  the  western  mer- 
chants had  97  ships,  of  the  burden  of  9,305  tons,  793  l)oats, 
133  stages,  and  3,922  men  engaged  in  the  fishing-i)()its. 
Besides  these,  they  had  99  ships,  of  8,123  tons,  mounting  115 
guns,  and  navigated  by  1,157  seamen,  and  employed  in  tarry- 
ing the  produce  of  the  tii>hcries  to  Europe,  the  Vt'cst  Indies, 
and  South  America.  Their  annual  take  was  133,910  quintals 
of  dried  fish  and  1,053  hogshei.ds  of  train-oil. 

The  following  abstract  shows  the  population  and  trade  of  the 
island  in  1698  :  — 


!ii 


1^^ 


i 


Number  of  planters         .         .         .         .  284 

"            their  children         .         .         .  462 

**            their  servants         .         .         .  1,894 

**            boats  owned  bv  them     .         .  397 

Quintals  of  fish  made  by  them         .         .  101,152 

Number  of  ships  fishing  and  carrying  fish,  252 

Their  tonnage         .....  24,316 

Number  of  seamen  employed  .         .         .  4.244 

Quintals  of  fish  caught  by  ships        .         .  114,770 

*'               purchased  by  merchants  .  157,848 

«*              carried  to  market     .         .  265,198 

The  resident  population  according  to  this  abstract  was,  in  1698, 
two  thousand  six  hundred  and  forty. 

We  have  no  further  record  of  the  population  till  17(i3,  when, 
according  to  Sir  Richard  Boimycastle,  the  resident  population 
amounted  to  7,000;  and  7,1.1'?  besides  were  engaged  in  tishing 
on  the  shores,  or  fur-hunting  in  the  interior,  while  four 
hundred  sail  of  vessels  carried  on  the  trade  of  the  island. 

In  1780  the  resident  population  reached  8,000,  and  in  1785, 
10,000.  In  1804  the  population  had  increased  to  20,380 ;  in 
1825  it  reached  55,719.  In  1827  a  census  was  taken,  and  the 
population  was  found  to  be  59,571.  In  1832  it  reached 
60,0(^8;  in  1836,  75,094;  in  1845,  9b, 703. 


'  \^    '■■^ 


1  i' 


I 


'6(i2 


NEWFOUNDLAXD. 


The  census  of  i857  gave  the  total  population  of  the  island, 
the  French  Shore  and  Labrador  included,  as  124,288.  The 
census  of  1^(59  showed  that  the  population  liad  increased  to 
14(),r).'5(J ;  while  thiit  of  1874,  the  latest  yet  taken,  gave  the  total 
popuhition  as  101,374.  Supposing  the  population  to  have 
increased  during  the  last  eight  years  in  the  same  ratio  as  during 
the  j)revions  live  years,  from  1869-1874,  the  population  in  1882 
was  185,114. 

In  1780,  St.  John's,  the  capital,  contained  a  population  of 
1,00.');  in  1801,  it  reached  3,420;  in  1809,  5,000;  in  1812. 
7,075  ;  in  1835,  15,000.  At  the  present  date,  1883,  the  poi)u- 
lation  of  the  capital  is  about  30,000. 

The  rate  of  increase  of  the  entire  popuhition  during  the 
twelve  years  between  1845  and  1857  was  25  per  cent.  ;  between 
1857  and  18(59 — twelve  years  —  the  rate  of  increase  was  18^ 
per  cent.  During  the  five  years  from  18G9  to  1874  the  rate  of 
increase  was  10  per  cent,  in  that  period. 

It  was  not  till  1845  that  the  different  religious  denominations 
were  distinguished  in  the  census  returns. 


i 


i! ' 


The  census  of  1845  gave 


(( 


Protestnnt.  Roman  Cntholic. 

49,505  41), 983 

1857     "  67,743  57,214 

1869     "  85,496  61,040 

1874     «'  97,057  64,317 

The  cenfjus  of  1874  was  the  last  taken. 

rho  following  table  gives  in  detail  the  numerical  strength  of 
the  dillerent  denominations  at  the  various  periods :  — 


Church  of  Rome     . 
Church  of  England 
Wesleyans 
Presbyterians 
Congregationalists  . 
licmaindcr  unknown. 


1845. 


46,983 

34,294 

14,239 

578 

394 


POPULATION  AND   TRADE. 


1857. 


363 


Church  of  Rome 
Clmrch  of  England 
Wesleyans 
Prcs))ytorians 
Conirregationalists  . 
Baptists  and  others 


Church  of  Rome 
Church  of  England 
Wesloyans 
Prcs])3'tGrians 
Congrcfj:ationalists  , 
Baptists 


Church  of  Rome     . 
Church  of  England 
A\'csloyans 
Prosbyterians 
Connrcgationalists 
Baptists  and  others 


On  the  following  page  is  given  a  table  showing  the  distribu- 
tion of  the  population  of  the  island  in  the  several  electoral 
districts,  as  ti;ken  from  the  census  for  the  years  mentioned, 
and  the  religious  denomination  to  which  they  belong.  As  the 
last  census  was  taken  in  the  year  1874,  this  table  is  brought 
down  to  that  year.  During  the  i)ast  ten  years  the;  p<)i)ul:ilion 
of  tiic  dirt'erent  electoral  districts  has  been  more  or  less  allected 
by  either  removals  to  the  capital  or  to  the  mining  setlienients  ; 
so  that  while  the  next  census  will  show  an  increase  ;)f  popula- 
tion in  some  districts,  there  will  certainly  be  a  falling  oil'  in 
otliers  :  — 


57,214 

44,285 

20,229 

838 

347 

. 

44 

1809. 

61,040 

55,184 

28,990 

974 

338 

10 

1874. 

64,317 

59,561 

35,702 

1,168 

461 

165 

•^^'■l 


M 


Miiiii>iN-: 


aiM 


NEWFOUNDLAND, 


W     t 


DUlrlctii. 


St.  Jolin'H,  V.Mi  anil  Wost . .  isr.7 

..i8(;;> 

..1M7» 

llurbor  Grace 1 857 

IHC'.t 

1874 

llurbor  Main |.S.'>7 

ISC.'t 

1874 

I'ort-ilo-Gravo 1857 

18(;'.) 

1874 

Carbonoar 1857 

18(il» 

1874 

Buy-ilo-Verils 1857 

18»;!» 

1874 

Trinity 18:)7 

ISd!) 

1874 

Bonavista 1 8,'>7 

i8(;',» 

1874 

Twillingiito  iiml  Fogo 18,"i7 

ISC)!! 

1874 

Forrjlanil !.*7>7 

KHC'J 

1S74 

riaeontiaaml  St.  Mary's  ..1857 

..Ksc.;) 

..1874 

Burin 1857 

18(iy 

1874 

Fortune  Bay 1857 

18t;!) 

1874 

Burgoo  and  La  I'oilo 1857 

1800 

•  •••••18i*r 

Froneh  Shore 1857 

oOi) 

1874 

Labrador  1857 

ISdO 

1874 

Rkcapitdlatiox. 

1827    

1857    

ISil'.t    

1874    


□ 

o 
3  3 

t'  p. 

o 


!!(>,47r. 
28,850 
J«1,57C. 
IO.OCm 
12.740 
l:t,055 

5,;t8t; 

(5.51*2 
7,174 

(;.48'.» 

7,5I1(> 

7,'.n;> 
r>,2;i.t 
r),(i:;:5 

5.488 

(;,2'.'i 

7,057 
7,4;t4 

io,7;iti 

1H.8I7 

15,(177 

8,8  "lO 

ii,.5(;o 
lii.oos 

<.),717 

i;?,oi;7 
i5.L'i;» 

5,2'J8 
5.!t'.tl 

(;,4i'.> 
8,;?:!4 

8.7i)t 

1),857 
5,5-Jl) 

(;,7;ii 

7,771) 

;!,4!t;5 

fi,L';!;! 

5,788 
8,545 
i;,ll!) 
6,0<.»8 

V.887 
8,(151 

2.47!> 
2,4 1() 

f.!>.571 
1H),;U)4 

i4(;,5;i() 

lGl,44t) 


a. 


r).(;.55 
r..7;i4 

(!,487 

5.4'.iO 

(•),8L'2 

7.2;!!) 

I,  Kilt 

1,442 

1,71(; 

2  72(i 

;i!224 

:J,415 

701 

8!t5 

!)2'.) 

440 

4(;!) 
4;  lit 

(1,0  Hi 
7,428 
8,417 
5,714 
7.02'.> 
(i,8i;o 

(i,2:i2 

(i,8l(! 

7,014 
127 
172 
17.1 
itCC. 

1.174 

i,:i5i 
i,;?5(i 
1  ,a'.to 
i,7:'.;i 

2,787 

;?,',», !5 
4,;i!»i 
a.  172 
4,12a 

4,21(i 

2,(i!)8 
a,  745 

i,8()a 

l,48'.l 


21.!)00 
20,007 
20,'.t4(; 

a.a'.io 
4,1.5a 
4.(Ma 
4,15a 

4,it82 

n.ac.i 
i.<;a7 

1  .!t00 

2,002 

2,5S2 

2,a(;8 

2,18!> 

1 ,58a 
1,7a  I 

1,775 
1,2.5a 

1  ,a84 
1,58a 
2,o;!0 

2,420 

2,5'.>;» 

1,442 

i,'.)t;i 
1  .'.)('>  i 

5,0!)a 
5,817 
0,2  l(i 

7,i5(; 
7,a'.)o 

8,254 

2,:i54 

2,54(i 

2,(!'.>2 

G47 

1.2iH) 

l,a87 

8'.) 

142 

125 

2,4(((i 
3,7a() 

48a 

47(". 


Is 


1,882 
2,140 
2,'.t2(; 
1.112 

1.5SS 

I.e.  1 5 

71 

ll.H 
1(7 
2. 1  I  2 
2. .".'.17 
2, .50! 
1,S5;» 

2,:'.(;7 
2,.".(;2 

4,i',il 

4.857 
5,220 

a,4i;o 

4,'.»85 

n.c.ca 
1.0s:', 
2,o;t4 
a,,5ai 

2,n:',(; 

4,2a5 

0,217 

8 

1 

212 
2  lit 

2;;'.» 

],HIO 

2.7S1» 

a,a4i» 

ao 

(> 

!» 

282 
84a 
7a  1 

18(i 
1)1)  i 

105 
2i)5 


« 

v  i 

u 

c-5 

*■- 

^ 

» 

u 

rj  t* 

0^ 

l.():i!» 

!Mi'.l 

1 

( ."> 

177 
ISH 

14 

15 

I 

1 

a 
I 


20 
II 
L'a 

17 
18 
7 
25 
18 

1 


II 

1;! 
'.) 
('. 
,5 

2;) 


II 
20 


a7 

17!) 

28 
15G 


No  denominational  data. 


42,oa8 

55,184 
5!), 544 


55,a0I) 
61,040 
G4,348 


20,148 
28,!)'JO 
35,745 


1,209 
l,a22 
1,812 


VOVULATION  AND    TRADE. 


;{G5 


S  -  3 

*^   '(   a. 

id 

J  a  « 

l,n;!!i 

!h;:i 

7.1 

177 

•> 

II 


l.'J 

,s 

'.»l 

1 

L'O 

CD 

< 

.S,1 

20 

i;;t 

II 

,s:; 

L';! 

:>j 

17 

111 

l.s 

::(; 

7 

;i,') 

2.1 

17 

18 

8 

1 

1 

1  ■> 

i;i 

II 

i!) 

i:t 

10 

It 

<\) 

1) 

lit 

.1 

(U 

2;» 

(} 

•> 

f) 

I 

<2 

.) 

i;? 

11 

ti 

2(1 

. 

(i 

;!7 

J 

171) 

.1 

28 

o 

LIG 

dm 

a. 

8 

1,209 

0 

1,;!22 

5 

1,812 

I(  is  woHliy  of  rciunrk  fli:if,  tli<!  iiicrcM.^c.  of  populaf ion  Iimh 
!n•i^<'Il  iilniosl,  <^ii(in!ly  from  n.'ifiinil  <;ro\vtIi,  Ji.s  .since,  IHM  ilu^ 
Minonnl  of  inmil;;nilioii  luis  hccii  (|iiit(!  in.si^nilicant.  'V\w.  fisli- 
vv'wH  WiW'o,  blindly  Huflicieni  to  Hustiiin  llic  cxiHliiij^  ,srUl<^rs,  iind 
iMltci'ly  liavo  fjiilod  <o  cxpjmd  ho  ii.s  to  meet  IIk;  wunl.s  of  ii 
iMpidiy  •jjrowiri'jj  population.  Until  n!<!('n)iy  no  iittJMnpts  wcri; 
inndci  to  open  up  tli(!  :t;^ri<;ultur.'il  di.Htricts,  woi'i<  tin;  iniiUi.H,  nnd 
ntiii/.t'  llio  forests;  and  no  inducement  was  pres(!nt(!d  to  emi- 
•rrant.s  to  se('k  for  a  Iiouk;  in  Ne\vf(»undland.  'I'lie  ea.se,  i.4  now 
altered.  Railroads  desi^riH'd  to  o|)en  up  tli(!  int(!rior  arc;  undei- 
construction;  inin<!.s  and  forests  art;  \n\uv^  d<!Velop(!(l  ;  a<;ri- 
culluiN'  is  i"end(!r(!d  practicable.  \V(!  may  now  fairly  <!.\pect 
that  ore  lon^  Ji  .strouin  of  thrifty  immif^rantH  will  pour  into  the, 
colony,  and  turn  th<;  flno  natural  resources  to  inchisti'lous 
account. 

'I'he  last  eonsu.s,  that  of  1874,  jirescints  some  results  that  will 
1)0  inlerestin;^.  Tlui  munluM'  of  mal(\s  was  found  to  Ix;  H2,1HI.'> ; 
tho  numhor  of  f<;mal(!s  77,71)1.  TIk;  mnnlxu'  of  males  l)(^tw(!en 
hO  and  70  years  of  a;^e  was  0,708  ;  of  fcimahjs  l)etw(!(Mi  TjO  and 
70,  0,08,');  of  males  from  70  ui)wards,  1,000;  of  females  same 
afjjo,  l.l.'5r);  mimlxT  of  man-iod  niahis,  24,402;  of  married 
females,  24,;580.  Of  the  total  i)opulation  of  101,;)74,  15:5,021 
wore  horn  in  Newfoundland.  TIk;  numher  of  a;^ed  and  infirm 
paupers  was  1,14(5;  of  deaf  and  dumb,  8.'};  of  blind,  107  ;  of 
lunatics,  137;  of  idiots,  100.  Of  Indian.s  (Micmucs)  there 
were   151. 

The  number  of  churches  l)(!lon;'in^  to  the  Church  of  En^^land 
was  lO.'J ;  to  tho  Chiu'ch  of  Rome,  77;  to  the  Wesleyans,  00; 
to  others,  4.  There  wore  4  bishops;  120  cler<;ymeu  or  min- 
isters; 30  lawyers;  41  doctors;  r)81)  meirhants  or  traders; 
1,004  farmers;  2,171  mechanics;  4.5,845  persons  enga<^ed  in 
catching  and  curing  fish  ;  20,377  able-bodied  seamen  engaged 
as  tishermcn  ;  18,935  children  attending  school ;  20,758  children 
not  attending  school;  24,050  inhabited  houses  by  20,010 
families. 

The  same  census  sliowed  that  there  were  8,089  men  on  board 
1,197  vessels  that  were  engaged  in  the  sea  and  other  fisheries. 
Tho  number  cf  acres  of  land  under  cultivation  was  30,339  ;  tho 


■   ( 


I    ■! 


.•[' 


366 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


I     I 


i 


is! ', 


i" 


lli'*< 

'   fP'! 

H, 

1        ^■ 

1             ' 

1' 

number  of  head  of  cattle  was  6,665  ;  of  mileh  cows,  7,273  ;  of 
horses,  4,057    of  sheep,  28, V66;  of  swine,  22,955. 

The  present  population  of  the  island  is  composed  mainly  of 
two  elements,  the  Celtic,  or  Irish,  and  the  Saxon,  or  English. 
The  Koman  Catholic  portion  of  the  population  arc  the  descend- 
ants of  Irish  emigrants ;  the  Protestant  portion  are  the  de- 
scendants of  English  settlers,  chiefly  from  the  south-western 
counties  of  England.  There  arc  besides  a  small  number  of 
Scotch. 

REVENUE,    FINANCIAL   CONDITION   OF   THE   COLONY,    TRADE, 
EXPORTS,     IMPORTS,    SHIPPING. 

The  following  table  shows  the  revenue  and  the  value  of  the 
exports  and  imports  from  1870  to  1882,  inclusive  :  — 


Years. 

1870 
1871 
1872 
1873 
1874 
1875 
1876 
1877 
1878 
1879 
1880 
1881 
1882 


Revenue. 

$831,423 
749,981 
812,752 
801,412 
841,588 
830,219 
855,228 
872,913 
839,640 
962,921 
897,474 
1,003,803 
1,119,385 


Exports  values. 

$6,984,543 
8,154,206 
7,166,443 
7,700,799 
8,569,960 
8,214,768 
8,168,540 
7,625,441 
6,594,807 
7,168,924 
7,131,095 
7,648,574 
8,228,291 


Imports  values. 

$6,655,849 
6,039,227 
6,716,068 
6,766,603 
7,354,689 
7,058,372 
7,205,907 
7,363,634 
6,868,723 
7,261,002 
6,966,243 
6,863,708 


M 


The  revenue  is  chiefly  derived  from  duties  levied  on  imports. 
These  duties  are  partly  ad  valorem  and  partly  specific,  but  only 
to  a  very  slight  extent  difTercntial,  the  tarilf  being  designed  for 
revenue  purposes  only,  not  for  protection.  There  are  no  direct 
taxes  of  any  kind,  and  no  city  or  town  corporation.  Even  the 
ca[)ital  is  not  incorporated.  All  expenses  for  making  and  re- 
pairing roads,  streets,  bridges,  breakwaters,  public  wharves, 
etc.,  are  defrayed  out  of  the  general  revenue,  the  Board  of 


rOPVLATION  AND   TRADE. 


3(>7 


"Works  having  charge  of  this  depai'tmcnt.  The  provision  for 
the  poor,  for  ihe  maintenance  of  a  police  force,  and,  indeed,  for 
the  whole  Civil  Service,  is  also  charffcablo  on  the  jreneral  reve- 
nne.  Thc^'?*'  capita  taxation  in  1882  was  only  $4.(*4  })er  head 
of  a  population  of  185,308.  When  the  ahsenee  of  municipal 
taxation  is  taken  into  account  it  will  he  seen  that  the  j)coplo  of 
Newfoundland  are  the  most  lightly  taxed  of  all  the  inhabitants 
of  the  British  colonies.  Out  of  a  total  revenue  of  $1,003,803 
in  1881,  no  less  than  $910,938  were  derived  from  Customs' 
duties  ;  $11,038  from  Crown  lands  ;  $1 7,400  from  postal  revenue  ; 
and  $29,730  from  interest  on  the  Halifax  Fishery  Award. 

The  prosperity  of  the  colony  may  l)e  inferred  from  the  steady 
advance  of  the  revenue  without  any  additional  taxation,  till  in 
1881  it  reached  over  one  million  dollars,  and  is  now  quite 
adequate  to  meet  all  the  demands  of  the  public  service.  With- 
in the  last  twenty  years  the  revenue  has  more  than  doubled. 
In  1800  the  revenue  amounted  to  $534,432  ;  in  1801,  to  $300,- 
172  ;  in  1802,  to  $407,710  ;  in  1881,  to  $1,003,803  ;  in  1882,  it 
amounted  to  $1,119,385. 

The  tinancial  position  of  the  colony  is  exceptionally  good. 
The  consolidated  and  debenture  de])t  of  the  colony  on  the  31st 
December,  1881,  was  $1,351,008.  The  amount  per  capKa,  with 
a  ])opulation  of  185,000,  is  thus  a  little  over  seven  dollars.  In 
Canada  the  public  debt  w^as  a  few  years  ago  $29  per  head,  and 
is  now  considerably  more.  In  Victoria  it  is  $104  per  head  ;  in 
New  Zealand,  $279  ;  in  South  Australia,  $170  ;  in  New  South 
Wiiies,  $73  ;  in  the  Cape  of  Good  IIo[)e,  $48  ;  in  Newfound- 
liind,  $7. 

This,  however,  is  not  all.  This  small  public  debt  is  nomhial, 
not  real.  Of  the  whole  sum  of  $1,351,008,  the  Savings-Bank, 
which  is  a  Government  institution,  holds  $593,304.  An  Act 
was  passed  by  the  Legislature  in  1879,  entitled,  "An  Act  to 
])rovide  for  the  payment  of  the  public  debt  of  this  colony,"  by 
which  it  was  enacted  that  "the  profits  of  the  Newfoundland  Sav- 
injrs-Bank  now  existing,  and  the  profits  of  the  said  Bank,  as  they 
shall  arise  from  time  to  time,  together  with  the  sum  of  $8,051 
now  held  by  the  said  Bank  ;is  a  sinking-fund,  and  all  interest 
accruing  thereon,  shall   be  constituted  a  sinking-fund  for  the 


T'^B 

'fl 

1 

■!  ■ 

'  B 

i;  1 

■i 

i 

i     1 

I'   ;  '  ;|j 
1 ,11 


I: 


^     ^i^ 


H    y 


»   '■ 


368 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


li(luidation  of  the  public  debt  of  this  colony  ;  and  that  such  fund 
be  applied  in  the  first  instance  towards  the  payment  of  all 
debentures  of  the  colony  which  are  or  may  be  held  I)}'  the  snid 
N(>wfouudland  Savings-Bank."  The  effect  of  this  Act  in  re- 
ducing the  public  debt  will  be  that  in  twentj-one  years  from 
187!),  oven  supposing  there  should  bo  no  increase  in  the  i)ros(Mit 
amount  of  deposits  and  profits,  the  debentures  held  by  the  liank 
will  l)e  paid  off".  So  much  of  the  funded  debt  being  thus 
provided  for,  there  remains  only  $757,704.  But  as  an  offset 
against  this  amount  the  colony  has  now  placed  to  its  credit,  at 
four  per  cent.,  $741,814,  being  a  portion  of  the  Halifax  Fisjicry 
Award  of  one  million  dollars.  This  almost  covers  the  remain- 
der of  the  public  debt.  Virtually,  therefore,  the  colony  is  in 
the  unicjue  and  enviable  position  of  being  free  from  public  del>t, 
the  whole  of  the  existing  debt  being  provided  for.  Such  being 
the  financial  position  of  Newfoundland,  with  an  increasing  rev- 
enue and  without  debt,  it  is  in  a  most  favorable  condition  for 
undertaking  public  works  of  general  utility ;  and  should  it  bo 
found  necessary  at  any  time  to  contract  a  loan  for  such  pur- 
])()ses,  with  such  unquestionable  security  to  offer,  money  can  he 
borrowed  on  the  most  favorable  terms.  How  small  an  amount 
it  has  been  found  necessary  to  borrow  of  late  may  be  judged  of 
by  the  fact  that  during  the  last  eight  years  the  public  del)t  has 
been  increased  but  thirty-six  cents  per  head  of  the  population,  — 
a  searcely  appreciable  amount.  The  sound  condition  of  the 
I'evcnue  is  apparent  from  facts  already  stated.  In  the  thirty 
years  which  have  elapsed  since  1852  it  has  risen  from  $335,700 
to  over  a  million  dollars. 

The  following  statement  shows  the  estimated  charges  on  the 
revenue  Ibr  the  year  1882  :  — 


ffl'*i: 


liiiil 


llelief  of  the  poor  and  the  institutions  connected 
th(>rewith       ....... 

Steam  and  mail  service  subsidies 

l*ostal  service    ....... 

Ti>legrai)li  extension,  maintenance,  and  interest  . 
Education  ....... 

lloads  and  bridges     ...... 


$142,350  00 

140,7(50  00 

29,000  00 

10,853  84 

91,800  00 

108,000  00 


li'  ill 


POPULATION  AND    TRADE. 


3()[) 


riihlic  works  (special  votes)       .... 

Miiiristeriiil  and  })olicG  department       .         .  . 

Interest  on  public  debt       ..... 

Interest  on  railway  loan     ..... 

(ieolo^ical  and  land  survey         .  .         . 

Court-house  and  gaol  supplies    .... 

Ferries     ........ 

Pensions  ........ 

liCirislative  contingencies  ..... 

Judicial,  civil,  and  revenue  department 
Ship-building  (in  aid  of)    ..... 

In  aid  of  lighthouses,  repairs  and  maintenance    . 

"Western  herrini;  fisheries  in-otection   . 

In  aid  of  cleansing  St.  John's  streets  . 

In  aid  of  gas  companies,  St.  John's  and  Plarbor 

Repairs  of  public  buildings  .... 

Printing,  postage,  telegraphs,  and  shipwrecked 
crews    ........ 

For  sundry  other  sources  ..... 

To  defray  exi)enses  for  general  election,  1882 
To  defray  exi)cnses  for  vaccination 
For  encouragement  of  home  industries 
Railway  subsidy  and  contingent  expenses    . 


$20,000  00 
(;."), 71) 7  00 

(;r.,ooo  00 

4,700  00 

5,500  00 

9,000  00 

2,931  00 

15,889  01 

31,000  00 

128,395  00 

10,000  00 

8,000  00 

2,500  00 

4,000  00 

2,900  00 
7,540  00 

3,650  00 
17,522  00 
7,000  00 
3,000  00 
1,500  00 
20,000  00 


The  following  extracts  from  the  Customs'  tariff  will  show  the 


nature  of  the  duties  levied  on  imports :  — 

Agricultural  implements 

Apples,  per  barrel 

Bacon,  hams,  tongues,  etc.,  per  cwt. 

P)utter,  per  cwt.  .... 

Candles       ..... 

Cheese,  per  cwt. 

Coal  brought  into  St.  John's,  per  ton 

Confectionery,  per  cwt. 

Eggs  ...... 

Flour,  per  barrel 


Free. 
.30 

$2.00. 
1.20. 
20  j)er  cent. 
$1.50. 
.25. 
$3.50. 
Free. 
.20. 


\'  . 


f   * 


!  '.        <:> 


t 
1 

1 

,'Sii' 


370 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


Fresh  incut  and  poultry 

.     5  per  cent. 

Horses,  each        .... 

.     $2.30. 

Indian  meal,  per  barrel 

.     .15. 

Lumber,  per  thousand  feet  . 

.     $1.00. 

Manufactures  of  wood 

,     20  per  cent. 

Oats,  barley,  rice 

.     8  per  cent. 

Oxen,  cows          .... 

.     5  per  cent. 

Oatmeal,  per  ])arrel 

.     .20. 

Pig  iron      ..... 

.     Free 

Pork,  per  barrel  of  200  lb.  . 

$1.00. 

Keady-made  clothes     .         .          .         . 

20  per  cent. 

Steam-engines,  boilers,  etc. 

Free. 

Tobacco,  manufactured,  per  lb.     . 

.12. 

Goods,  wares,  merchandise  not  other- 

wise enumerated  . 

.     13  percent. 

Brandy,  per  gallon 

.     $1.20 

Gin                "               ... 

1.00 

Whiskey        "               .         .         .         . 

1.00 

Rum               "              .         .         .         . 

.75 

Wines  —  Champagne,  per  gallon  . 

2.00 

"           Port,  Madeira      " 

1.50 

•*          Spanish  red,  claret,  per  gal.   . 

•     .33 

"          Rhenish                           " 

.60 

The  exports  of  Newfoundland,  with  the  exception  of  coi)pcr 
ore,  are  fish  products  of  various  kinds.  The  following  tal>lc 
shows  the  gradual  progress  in  the  values  of  the  exports  during 
each  group  of  five  years,  from  1852  to  1881 :  — 


Average  vnlue  of  oxportg. 

1852-185G 
1857-1862 
1862-1867 
1867-1871 
1872-1876 
1877-1881 


Group  of  five  vears. 

$5,166,i2'J 
6,132,392 
6,080,445 
7,011,407 
7,847,661 
7,159,522 


m 


While  the  foregoing  table  shows  an  actual  advance  in  the 
value  of  exports  since  1852,  yet,  when  the  increase  of  popula- 


POPULATION  AND   TRADE. 


371 


tion  is  taken  into  account,  there  appears  an  actual  decline  in 
i\xQ per  capita  value  of  the  exports,  and  also  of  the  hnports,  as 
the  following  comparative  statement  sufficiently  shows  :  — 


Year. 
I80O 

Value  of  exports  per  head. 

.       $47  82 

Value  of  Importi  per  head 

$44  52 

1870 

49  69 

45  42 

1874 

53  56 

45  57 

1879 

39  90 

40  74 

1880 

37  33 

38  33 

These  figures  indicate  a  gradually  decreasing  average  in  the 
earnings  and  incomes  of  the  people,  showing  that  the  tisiierios, 
hitherto  the  chief  reliance,  are  inadequate  to  meet  the  wants 
of  a  growing  population,  and  that  other  industries,  especially 
agriculture,  are  essential. 

The  table  of  exports  and  imports  shows  that  for  the  years 
1879  and  1880  the  average  annual  volume  of  the  trade  of  New- 
foundland amounted  in  value  to  $14,077,971. 

The  Customs'  returns  for  1881  show  the  value  of  the  exports 
for  that  year  to  the  difi^erent  countries  named,  as  follows  :  — 


Value  of  export* 

Value  of  Imports 

Country. 

thereto. 

therefrom. 

The  United  Kingdom 

.      $2,255,764 

$2,396,424 

Brazil  . 

2,120,773 

Portugal 

1,183,235 

47,210 

Spain     . 

629,469 

152,638 

United  States 

309,680 

1,931,741 

Italy 

207,284 

Hamburg 

48,480 

1,744 

Spanish  West  Indies 

47,491 

68,387 

Sicily     . 

15,710 

9,920 

British  West  Indies 

340,124 

259,688 

Dominion  of  Canada 

386,833 

1,956,524 

Gibraltar 

163,834 

The   total  exports   and   imports  for  1881   are  grouped   as 
follows :  — 


I 


i^l 


;  *[ 


f 


i 


\u. 


h  i 


372 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


Country. 

United  Kingdom 
r»ritish  Colonics 
Foroign  Countries  . 


Value  ofRxporU 

tluTL'lO. 

$2, 25;'),  7  (14 

905,010 

4,f)!)3,()yi 


Value  of  ImporU 
tlicnfroiii. 

$2,3!)(),424 
2,234,077 
2,233,207 


$7,755,3(50      $().M(;3,708 


[ 


The  l)cst  customers  for  the  fish  products  of  the  countrv. 
next  to  the  I'^nited  Kingdom,  arc  Brazil,  Portugal,  Spain. 
British  West  Indies,  Canada,  and  the  United  States.  Of  the 
Mhole  vohnne  of  trade,  about  17  per  cent,  is  witli  Canada,  and 
a1)out  15  per  cent,  with  the  United  States. 

The  following  comparative  statement  will  be  found  interesting 
as  showing  the  trade  of  the  colony  forty  years  ago,  and  aflbrd- 
ing  data  for  comi)aring  that  period  with  the  present,  in  regard 
to  Ihe  revenue  imports  and  exports  :  — 


COMPAHATIVE      STATEMKNT     OF     TIIK     QUAXTITr     AN'I>     VAMK      OP     TIIF.      RTAI'I.; 
AKTICLKS    OF    PROUHCE     EXI'OKTKU    IN    THE    FOLLOWING    YEAKS. 


\l" 

if 


m 


Vcar.s.    \ 

1 

i   Pried  nsli. 

Oils. 

Seal  Sliiiis. 

Salmon. 

ll<'rriiii,v, 

Ijuintiil.'j. 

Uuiiuns. 

Xu. 

'l'icrc:cs. 

liarnlrt. 

f  1840 

!il5,7!)5 

3.200,583 

031,385 

3,:'.90 

14.080 

1841 

l,()(t'.>,725 

2,073,574 

417.115 

3,(;42 

9,!I05 

1842 

1,007.980 

2,202,031 

344.083 

4.715 

13,839 

1843 

i)3(l.202 

3,111,312 

051,370 

4.058 

9,049 

.• 

1844 

852,1(12 

3,005,808 

085,530 

3,753 

13.410 

1845  ; 

1,00().3:!3 

2,2  111, 301 

352,202 

3,545 

20.903 

= 

1847  i 

837.!»73 

2.224,233 

430.831 

4,917 

9,908 

2 

1848 

!»20,3(;(; 

2,010.820 

521,004 

3,822 

13.872 

c 

184!)  1 

1,175.107 

2,282,4!)(> 

300.072 

5.911 

11.471 

1850 

1.08(»,182 

2,030,800 

440,828 

4,000 

19.550 

1851 

1,017.074 

2,744,910 

511,030 

4,025 

30,259 

1852 

'.»73,731 

2,931,707 

534,378 

3,473 

42,710 

f  1840 

£570.215 

£305,197 

£39,408 

£12,939 

£9.0;;0 

1811 

005,014 

200.832 

29.901 

12,302 

O.JtOl 

1842 

501,9,50 

233.313 

23,200 

13,078 

7,119 

ls43 

532,194 

335.975 

40.497 

12,210 

4.570 

1844  1 

482,480 

315,090 

39.048 

11,945 

0.065 

o 

1845  1 

530,9!)0 

243,040 

40,123 

12,794 

11,234 

rt 

1847  ! 

489,940 

229,172 

40,280 

9.782 

5.111 

> 

1848 

491,924 

3.50.579 

58,420 

0,597 

7,044 

1849 

588.728 

213,742 

33,780 

10.815 

5,071 

1850 

532,909 

309,928 

06,350 

9.200 

9,779 

1851 

493,014 

319,977 

70,590 

12,024 

18,201 

J  852 

403,741 

303,607 

76,790 

10,252 

14.411 

POPULATION  AND    TRADE. 


37.] 


i  .! 


COMPARATIVE     STATEMENT     OF    THE     COLONIAL    REVENUE     ANI»     EXI'ENUITUUE     I.N 

THE    FOLLOWING    YEARS. 


1850 

1851 

1852 

£59,381   10     0 
2.o90  16  11 
5,142     8     0 

£74,205    4 
2,4(17  lf< 
a,722  11 

1 
8 
5 

£62.300  11     H 

2,7Ml     ;i    0 

Kroin  otlit'r  sfiiir<'0<*  .■.•••■••■■ 

19,241   11     6 

Totals 

£06,915     3  11 
£71,807     1     5 

£80,;!95  14 

2 

£84  323     6     2 

Kviu'TKHtiiro  .............. 

£75,770     5 

I 

£90,409     H   10 

VALUE    OF   IMPORTS    AND    EXPORTS    IN   THE    FOLLOWING    YEARS. 


Imiiorts 
Exports 


1848 


£709,628 

887,581 


1849 


£770.190 
876,567 


1850 


£807,316 
975,770 


1851 

£943,191 
959,751 


1852 


£795.758 
905.772 


!  M 


SHIPPING. 

Ou  December  31,  1881,  the  registered  tonnage  of  the  coU)iiy 
was  1,895  vessels,  having  a  tonnage  of  81),G55  tons.  Of 
these,  1,8G0  were  saiUng-vessels,  and  29  were  steamers.  In 
addition,  GO  vessels  were  engaged  in  the  foreign  carrying  trade, 
which,  though  owned  in  Newfoundland,  were  registered  in 
Britain. 

The  following  table  shows  the  increase  in  the  tonna<re  since 
1859:  — 


In  1859  . 

"  18G9  . 

"  1879  . 

"  1881  . 


Vessels. 

1,342 
1,459 
1,718 
1,895 


Tons. 

89,(170 
75,445 
82,504 
89,G55 


,'•     ^ 


The  number  of  vessels  entered  at  the  various  ports  iu  1881 
was  1,3GG;  their  tonnage,  158,345;  their  crews,  7,991. 

The  number  of  vessels  cleared  at  the  various  ports  in  1881 
was  1,018;  their  tonnage,  132,743;  their  crews,  G,630. 

The  number  of  steamers  entered  in  iJjSl  was  190;  their  ton- 
nage, 162,285  ;  their  crews,  7,338. 


374 


NE  WFOUNDLAND. 


r ' '  :i 


The  number  of  steamers  cleared  at  the  various  ports  in  1881 
was  181;  theiv  tonnage,  160,208;  their  crews,  7,183. 

The  number  of  vessels  built  in  the  colony  in  1881  was  70; 
their  tonnage,  3,301.  The  bvvunty  paid  on  them  was  $10,013. 
Twenty-seven  vessels  were  built  on  which  no  bounty  was  paid ; 


their  tonnage  was  582. 


GOVERNMENT. 


375 


\  'I 


CHAPTER  II. 


GOVERNMENT. 


The  Consi'itution  —  Executive  and  public  officers  —  The  clcctonil  districts  — 
Salaries  of  officials  — The  judicial  department —  Constitution  and  character 
of  the  law  'jourts. 

Ix  IBS'?  the  boon  of  a  representative  governmciit  and  a  Con- 
stitution was  granted  to  Newfoundland.  The  island  was  divided 
into  nine  electoral  districts,  each  of  which  was  to  have  one  or 
more  representatives,  according  to  its  })opulation,  the  whole 
numl)er  of  menihers  to  be  fifteen.  The  riijht  of  votinj;  was 
conferred  on  every  man  who  for  one  year  immediately  preced- 
ing the  day  of  election  had  occupied  a  dwelling-house  within  the 
island,  either  as  owner  or  tenant.  A  legislative  and  executive 
council,  composed  of  seven  persons,  api)ointed  by  the  ?rown, 
Avas  also  created.  The  system  did  not  work  well,  and  in  18  42 
the  Constitution  was  suspended,  and  the  Council  abolished  as  a 
distinct  l)ranch  of  the  Legislature,  and  its  meml)ers  were 
authoriz<Ml  to  sit  and  vote  in  the  House  of  Assembly,  on  the 
sauje  footing  as  if  they  were  el'^cled  members.  This  was 
known  as  "The  Amalgamated  Legislature."  At  length,  in 
com[)liance  with  the  strongly-expressed  desire  of  the  i)e()i)le, 
"  Resp()nf,iblc  Government  "  was  conceded  to  the  colony  in  ]H")5. 
This  was  simply  the  a[)i)lication  of  the  principles  of  the  British 
Constitution  to  the  goverinnent  of  the  colony.  It  i)i'()vided  that 
the  country  "should  be  governed  according  to  the  wcli-undcr- 
stood  wishes  of  the  people."  The  party  who  were  sustained  l)y 
a  majority  in  the  Legislature  had  at  their  disposal  the  ai)i)oint- 
meut  to  the  i)rincipal  otlices  in  the  colony.  By  them,  too,  the 
Executive  CouiU'il  Avas  selected.  Two  Legislative  Chambers 
were  api)ointed.  The  House  of  Assembly,  to  be  ehicted,  the 
Legislative  Coimcil  to  be  nominated  i)y  "The  Governor  in 
Council." 


^'1 


11^ 


37G 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


% 


A 


1 


This  form  of  government,  which  has  worked  satisftictorilv,  is 
tliat  by  which  the  aft'airs  of  the  colon}^  are  at  present  regulated. 
It  consists  of  a  Governor,  who  is  a[)p()inted  by  the  Crown,  iiiid 
whoso  term  of  office  is  usually  al)out  six  years;  an  Executive 
Council,  chosen  l)y  the  party  commanding  a  majority  in  the 
liOgislature,  and  consisting  of  seven  members;  a  Legislative 
Council,  or  Ui)per  House,  of  tifteen  members,  nominated  by  the 
Governor  in  Council,  and  holding  office  for  life;  and  a  House 
of  Asseml)ly  of  thirty-one  members,  elected  every  four  years 
by  the  votes  of  the  people.  The  chief  public  officers  of  the 
Government,  selected  from  the  party  who  command  a  majority 
in  tile  Legislature,  are  the  Colonial  Secretary,  who  is  also  Sec- 
retary of  the  Executive  Council,  the  Attorney -General,  the 
lleceiver-General,  the  Solicitor-General,  the  Surveyor-General, 
Financial  Secretary,  Chairman  of  the  Board  of  Works,  and 
Auditor  of  Public  Accounts. 

There  are  fifteen  electoral  districts,  sending  31  meml)eis, 
divided  as  follows  :  — 


St.  John's  East 

St.  John's  West       . 

Harbor  Grace 

Carbonear 

Harb(>r  ^Nlidnc 

Port-de-Gravo 

Bay  de  Vcrds 

Trinity  .  .         .         . 

P)()na  vista 

Twillingate  and  Fogo 

Ferrylaud 

Placentia  alid  St.  Mary's 

Burin      ... 

Fortune  Bay  . 

Burgeo  and  La  Poile 


Members. 

3 

'» 
o 

2 

1 

2 

1 

1 

3 

3 

3 

2 

3 

2 

1 

1 


The  qualification  of  persons  to  be  elected  to  serve  as  nienibers 
of  the  House  of  Assembly  is  a  net  annuid  income,  arising  (Vom 
any  source  whatever,  of  $-180,  or  the  possession  of  [)r()perty, 


GOVERNMENT. 


377 


clear  of  all  incumbrances,  exceeding  $2,400.  They  must  have 
rc?ji(led  in  the  island  for  two  years  previous  to  each  election,  be 
over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  and  be  British  subjects  or  law- 
full}'  naturalized. 

The  mcml)ers  of  the  House  of  Assembly  are  elected  by  a 
household  suflragc.  All  persons  who,  either  as  owners  or 
tenants,  have  occupied  a  dwelling-house  for  two  years  next 
l)efore  the  day  of  election,  are  entitled  to  vote. 

In  addition  to  the  electoral  districts  enumerated  already, 
there  arc  two  ot'.iers,  on  the  western  coast,  Avhich  in  l"uture  will 
be  entitled  to  elect  each  a  representative  to  the  Asseml)ly. 
The  Act  enfranchising  the  so-called  " French  Shore"  having  at 
length  received  the  royal  assent,  the  House  of  Assembly  now 
consists  of  thirty-three  members. 

The  members  of  both  branches  of  the  Legislat.irc  are  \)[\n\. 
Members  of  the  House  of  Assembly,  if  resideni  in  St.  .lohn's, 
receive  $11)4  per  session;  if  resident  els  jwhere,  82!>1  per 
session.  The  members  of  the  Legislative  (Jouncil  receive  8120 
per  session  ;  the  President,  $240.  The  S])caker  of  the  House 
of  Assembly  receives  $1,000  })er  session. 

The  Legislature  is  usually  sunmioned  to  me(!t  "for  the 
desi)atch  of  business"  about  the  beginning  of  Februaiy,  and 
the  session  genoraliy  lasts  till  the  end  of  A[)ril. 

The  Governor  receives  a  salary  of  $12,000  per  ainuun,  i)aid 
by  the  colony  ;  his  private  secretary,  $924  ;  his  orderly,  $;)00  ; 
keeper  of  the  lodge,  $277  ;  and  light  and  fuel  are  provided  for 
Government  House. 

The  salaries  of  the  Colonitd  Secretary,  the  Attornej'-Gencial, 
the  Keceiver-General,  and  tlu;  Surveyor-GentTul  are  each 
$2,400  per  annum.  The  ChairnMUi  of  the  Board  of  Works 
receives  $2,000  per  annum ;  the  Financial  Secrelary,  $1,^5S4  ; 
the  Auditor  of  Public  Accounts,  $1,000;  Solicitor-General, 
$1,200.  The  legislative  contingencies  average  $27,000  per 
annmn. 

The  Supreme  Court  was  instituted  in  182()  by  the  pronnilga- 
tion  of  a  Royal  Charter.  It  is  composed  of  a  Chief  Justice  and 
two  Assistant  Judges,  appointed  by  the  Crown.  Tlu^  Chief 
Justice  has  "  rank  and  precedence  al)ove  and  beyond  all  i)ersuns 


I  '1 


■      'ii. 


'i 


m 


if 


-m 


378 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


■,:,„;! 


t 


IP. 


within  the  colony  tind  its  dependencies,  excepting  the  govcnior 
or  acting  governor  for  the  time  being,  and  excepting  al!  such 
persons  as  by  hiw  or  usage  take  place  in  England  licforo  the 
Chief  Justice  of  the  ICing's  Bench."  The  Chief  Justice  niiiy 
accept  the  otiice  of  Administrator  of  the  Government  of  the 
Colony,  and  also  of  Judge  of  the  Vice-Admiralty  Court,  with 
the  emoluments  and  fees  belonging  to  each  office.  The  .Sui)riMne 
Court  holds  two  terms  or  sessions  each  year,  in  St.  John's  ;  one 
of  them  commences  on  the  20th  of  May,  and  the  other  on  the 
20th  of  November.  There  is  a  Chief  Clerk  and  Kegistrar  of 
the  Supreme  Court.  There  are  circuits  of  the  Supreme  Court 
held  in  the  northern  and  southern  districts  of  the  island,  at 
such  times  and  places  as  may  bo  fixed  by  the  proclamation  of 
the  Governor.  These  are  presided  over  by  the  Chief  Justice, 
or  one  of  the  Assistant  Judges,  in  rotation.  The  salary  of  the 
Chief  Justice  is  $5,000;  of  each  of  the  Assistant  Judges, 
$4,000.     They  hold  their  appointments  for  life. 

The  Court  of  Labrador  has  civil  and  criminal  jurisdiction 
over  such  parts  of  Labrador  as  lie  within  the  Government  of 
Newfoundland.  It  is  presided  over  by  one  Judge,  who  is  noaii- 
nated  by  the  Governor  in  Council.     His  salary  is  $1,154. 

The  Central  District  Court  is  a  Court  of  Record,  held  in  St. 
John's,  for  the  said  district,  for  the  adjudication  of  civil  causes, 
and  sits  whenever  business  requires.  There  are  two  Judges, 
appointed  by  the  Governor  in  Council ;  the  salary  of  each  is 
$2,000.  They  may  jointly  or  severally  hold  such  Court,  or 
when  business  requires,  may  sit  separately.  There  is  also  a 
District  Court  in  Harbor  Grace,  with  jurisdiction  over  the  elec- 
toral district  of  Conception  Bay.  It  is  presided  over  by  one 
Judge,  who  is  ex  officio  a  Justice  of  the  Peace.  There  is  a  Sherilf 
for  each  judicial  district  of  the  Island,  who  is  appointed  by  the 
Governor  in  Council. 

Conrts  of  General  and  Quarter  Sessions  are  held  in  the  island, 
at  such  places  as  may  be  determined  by  the  proclamation  of  the 
Governor.  They  are  presided  over  by  Stipendiary  Magistrates 
or  Justices  of  the  Peace. 

''  The  Law  Society  of  Newfoundland  "  is  constituted  by 
statute,  and  is  under  the  inspection  of  the  Judges  of  the  Supreme 


OC  VERNMENT. 


379 


Court  for  the  time  bein<^  "No  person  ic  admitted  by  the 
Supreme  Court  to  practise  as  an  attorney  unless  upon  actual 
service  of  five  years  with  some  practising  attorney  of  the  island  ; 
or,  if  a  regular  graduate  of  jmy  colledge  in  Her  Majesty's 
Dominions  of  four  years,  or  who,  having  been  entered  on  the 
books  of 'The  Law  Society'  as  a  studeiit-at-law,  shall  have  been 
subsequently  called  to  the  Bar  in  England,  Scotland,  or  Ireland, 
or  any  of  Her  Majesty's  Colonies."  Any  pei*son  who  has  been 
called  to  the  Bar  in  England,  Scotland,  or  Ireland,  or  any  of 
the  Colonies,  upon  producing  evidence  thereof,  and  undergoing 
a  satisfactory  examination,  may  be  called  by  the  Law  Society 
to  the  degree  of  barrister. 


1! 


,..,! 


: 'i 


fU 


380 


NE  WFO  UNDLANn. 


!■■: 


;   ! 


CHAPTER  m. 

ROADS,  RAILWAYS,  AND  STEAM  COMMUNICATION. 

The  first  highway — Postal  roads  and  mail  routes  — Preliminary  survey  for  the 
first  railroad  —  Suhsidy  of  money  and  hinds  offered  l)y  Government  for  ccin- 
struetionof  tlie  road — Progress  of  th  ,  work  —  Turning  of  the  first  sod,  and 
running  of  the  first  locomotive. 

Owing  to  the  mistaken  policy  pursued  by  the  British  Govern- 
ment, in  connection  with  Newfoundhmd,  as  detailed  in  our 
historical  sketch,  it  was  not  till  the  year  1825,  or  fifty-cii^ht  yciu-s 
ago,  that  the  lirst  road  was  constructed  in  the  island.  The  cult  i\  a- 
tion  of  the  soil  was  not  regarded  as  a  legitimate  pursuit  in 
Newfoundland,  so  that  the  idea  of  making  roads  to  reach  and 
open  u[)  good  lands  for  settlement  and  cidtivation  was  not  en- 
tertained. At  length  a  better  era  dawned,  and  the  first  step  in 
progress  was  taken  by  Sir  Thomas  Cochrane,  governor,  who  in 
182,')  constructed  a  good  road,  nine  miles  in  length,  from  St. 
John's  to  Portugal  Cove,  on  the  shore  of  Conception  Wax. 
Ol)l)osito  the  village  of  Portugal  Cove,  on  the  northern  side  of 
the  l)ay,  was  the  second  largest  settlement  in  the  island,  Ilarhor 
Grace,  the  centre  of  a  considerable  population.  By  establishing 
regular  l)oats  to  cross  this  bay,  a  route  was  csta])Iished  hy 
which  nearly  half  the  po})ulation  then  living  in  the  country  \vere 
provided  with  a  rough  means  of  intercommunication.  A  lond 
to  Torhay,  a  village  north  of  St.  John's,  and  another  along  a 
beautiful  valley  through  which  Hows  a  small  stream  falling  into 
St.  flolm's  harbor,  to  a  spot  now  called  Waterford  Bridge, 
speedily  foUovod.  Then  the  more  distant  settlements  began  to 
connect  lliemselves  with  each  other  by  roads,  and  finally  w  ith 
the  cai)ital.  In  several  directions  roads  radiating  from  St. 
John's  were  constructed,  along  wiiich  farms  and  neat  farm- 
houses were  soon  visible.     One  of  these  roads  extended  first  to 


ROADS,   RAILWAYS,   ETC. 


381 


Topsail,  on  Conception  Bay,  thence  to  Ilolyrood  at  the  head  of 
the  bay,  and  onward  to  Sahnonier,  St.  Mary's,  and  Placentia. 
It  is  eighty  miles  in  length  to  Placentia,  and  the  St.  ^Mary's 
l)ranch  is  twei.'ty-t'.vo  miles  additional.  Road-making  has  liecn 
carried  on  over  since,  and  of  late  about  $100,000  per  annum 
have  been  devoted  to  making  and  repairing  roads  and  bridges. 
At  the  present  time  there  are  aoout  seven  hundred  and  twenty- 
seven  miles  of  postal  roads,  and  one  thousand  seven  hundred 
and  thirty  miles  of  district  roads.  The  Great  Northern  iNIail 
route,  when  completed,  will  l)e  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven 
miles  in  length ;  and  one  thousand  two  hundred  miles  arc  in 
process  of  making. 

The  Allan  Line  of  steamers  call  at  St.  John's  on  their  outAvard 
and  homeward  voyages  between  Liverpool  and  Halifax.  Thus 
the  colony  has  fortnightly  communication  with  Great  Britain 
and  America.  During  three  months  of  winter  these  steamers 
run  from  Liverpool  to  Halifax  without  calling  at  St.  John's,  the 
connection  during  this  time  being  kept  up  fortnightly  by  a  mail- 
stcamor,  plying  l)ctwecn  St.  John's  and  Halifax.  A  subsidy  of 
$()!), 120  per  annum  is  paid  by  the  colony  to  the  Allan  Company 
for  these  services.  In  addition  two  local  steamers  ply  between 
St.  John's  and  the  settlements  north  and  south,  carrying  passen- 
gers, mails,  and  goods.  In  the  summer  season  the  steamer 
plying  northward  connects  with  the  Labrador  steamer  at  Battle 
Harbor.  Another  mail-steamer  plies  on  Conception  Bay.  The 
amount  of  subsidies  for  local  steam  service  is  $52,300  per 
annum,  and  for  both  oceanic  and  local  steam  services  $121,420 
per  annum. 

The  tirststep  towards  the  construction  of  a  railway  was  taken 
in  1875,  when  a  preliminary  survey  of  a  line  from  St.  John's  to 
St.  George's  Bay,  distance  about  two  hundred  and  sixtv  miles, 
was  made,  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Sandford  Fleming,  who 
was  then  engineer-in-chief  of  Canadian  railways.  In  a  valuable 
paper  which  he  published  some  years  previously,  he  had  pointod 
out  that  the  shortest  and  safest  travel-route  hetween  America 
and  England  was  across  Newfoundland.  He  suggested  a  fast 
line  of  steamers  from  Valencia,  Ireland,  to  St.  John's,  New- 
foundland, carrying  only  mails,  passengers,  and  light  ex[)ress 


i\.  \v 


i 


r.; 


'■[(■■« 


!.'l 


H    \. 


m 
m 


J 


382 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


Vm 


matter.  Thence  a  railway  to  St.  George's  Bay,  and  another 
line  of  .steamers  between  that  point  and  Shippegan  in  the  Bay  of 
Chaleurs,  New  Brunswick,  where  connection  with  Canadian  and 
American  railways  could  be  established.  By  this  route  ho 
calculated  that  the  ocean  passage  would  not  exceed  four  days, 
and  that  passengers  and  mails  from  London  would  reach  New 
York  in  seven  days.  The  Government  of  Newfoundhind 
obtained  from  the  Legislature  a  money  grant  for  a  preliminary 
survey  of  a  railway  from  St.  John's  to  St.  George's  Bay,  being 
the  land  portion  o**  this  route.  This  survey  was  made  in  1^75, 
and  the  result  showed  that  there  were  no  serious  enffineerinir 
difficulties  in  the  way,  and  that  the  line  could  be  constructed  at 
a  moderate  cost. 

Two  ye;tr«  elapsed  before  any  further  steps  were  taken.  At 
length,  in  1378,  the  Hon.  W.  V.  Whitoway,  Premier  (now  Sir 
William  V.  Whiteway),  undertook  to  grapple  with  the  matter 
in  earnest.  With  the  concurrence  of  the  Government,  of  which 
he  was  leader,  he  introduced  a  series  of  resolutions,  which  wcie 
warmly  received  and  accepted  by  the  Legislature.  Among 
other  things  it  was  resolved  that  an  annual  subsidy  of  $120,000 
per  annum  and  liberal  grants  of  Crown  lands  along  the  line 
should  be  given  to  any  company  which  should  construct  and 
continue  in  operation  a  line  of  railway  across  Newfoundland, 
connecting  by  steamers  with  Britain  on  the  one  hand,  and  with 
the  Intercolonial  and  Canadian  lines  on  the  other,  across  the 
Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence.  Steps  were  immediately  taken  by  the 
Newfoundland  Government  to  have  this  proposal  advertised  in 
England  and  elsew'iere.  But  an  unexpected  difficulty  arose. 
The  Imperiiil  Government  declined  to  sanction  the  undertaking, 
on  the  grojnd  that  the  terminus  on  the  wesi^'n  side  of  the 
island,  at  St.  George's  Bay,  would  be  on  that  part  of  the  coast 
on  which  the  French  had  fishery  rights  secured  by  treaty,  and 
that  negotiations  in  regard  to  those  rights  were  then  in  progress. 
Thus  the  hopes  of  the  colof^y  wer.;  blighted  in  r'jgard  to  this 
project.  The  Government  w'aitcd  patiently  two  years,  in 
expectation  that  diplomacy  would  remo\  e  the  difficulty,  but 
without  result.  Sir  Williani  Whiteway  and  the  Goverunicut 
then  resolved  to  take  the  matter  up  in  another  form.     Instead 


ROADS,   RAILWAYS,   ETC. 


383 


of  constructing  a  line  across  the  island,  which  wouhl  he  a  link 
in  the  chain  of"  connnunication  l)etwecn  the  Old  and  New  Worlds, 
they  proposed  to  l)uild  a  mirrow-j^auge  railway  suited  to  local 
requirements,  and  such  as  would  be  within  the  means  of  the 
colony.  The  resolutions  which  Sir  William  Whiteway  sub- 
mitted to  the  House  of  Assembly  proposed  the  construction  of 
a  narrow-gauge  railway  from  St.  John's  to  Hall's  Bay,  the  centre 
of  the  mining  region,  with  branches  to  Harbor  Grace  juid 
Briirus,  the  total  Icniirth  of  which  would  be  about  three  hundred 
and  forty  miles.  Such  a  line,  Sir  William  pointed  out,  would 
open  up  for  settlement  the  most  fertile  agricultural  and  the  best 
timl)er  lands  in  the  island  more  especiall}^  the  great  valleys  of 
the  Gander  and  Exploits.  It  would  place  the  mining  region  in 
connection  with  the  capital,  and  thus  impart  a  great  impetus  lo 
mining  industry  by  increasi:  g  facilities  for  its  prosecution  ;  and 
it  would  also  traverse  and  open  up  a  large  extent  of  mineral 
lands  which  there  was  every  reason  to  believe  was  of  great 
value,  and  which  was  as  yet  unexplored.  His  proposal  was 
that  the  colony  itself  should  undertake  the  work,  and  he  showed 
that  the  tinances  of  the  country  were  in  such  a  healthy  condition 
as  to  warrant  the  enterprise.  A  joint  conmiittcc  of  Ijoth  branches 
of  the  Legislature  was  appointed  to  consider  the  proposal,  and 
their  report  was  strongly  in  favor  of  the  construction  of  the 
railway.  The  report  dwelt  on  the  necessi<^'  which  existed  for 
opening  up  new  industries  for  the  cmplo^  \^  of  the  increasing 
population,  for  whose  support  the  tisheries  were  now  utterly 
inadecjuate.  It  referred  to  the  immense  mineral  wealth  of  the 
country,  which  only  required  capital  for  its  development ;  to 
the  vast  extent  of  fertile  lands  which  the  geological  survey  of 
the  iteland  had  made  known;  to  the  large  imijortations  of  agri- 
cultural produce  and  live  stock,  all  of  which  could  be  raised  in 
the  country  ;  to  the  advantages  the  island  possessed  as  a  grazing 
country,  and  to  the  facilities  of  exporting  live-stock  to  England  ; 
and  to  the  benefits  that  would  flow  from  the  rcnuuierative 
emi)loyment  furnished  to  the  i)eople  by  the  construction  of  a 
railway.  It  concluded  by  reconnnending  the  passing  of  an 
Act  authorizing  a  loan  of  the  amount  required  to  construct  the 
line,  within  the  limits  of  o.o  million  pounds  sterling,  and  in 


1    1 

''■  i 

'"      f 

'1 '.  k 

I  '! 


■I       ,  » 


!      t 


11 : 


384 


NE  M'FO  UXDLA  XD. 


sums  not  oxcccdini^  half  ;i  luillioii  of  dollars  in  nny  one  ^car. 
This  rcjjort  was  adopted  hy  tho  Lcirislaturc  l)y  an  ovcruhchu- 
inijf  majority  of  hoth  l)i'anch('s.  IJailway  connnissioncrs  wcro 
uppointi'd,  and  (Miifiiiecrs  wvvv.  cniployccl  in  tho  smiuncr  and 
autunm  of  isso  in  makinjjf  a  survey  of  tlu!  tirst  hundi-cd  milrs. 
Ac'cordiiiir  to  this  {UTanjromont  then,  tho  colony,  throuLrh 
the  Gov(U'nment,  was  to  construct  the  proposed  line  of  rail- 
way, the  necessary  funds  to  1)0  raised  hy  a  loan  on  the  credit 
of  the  cohniy.  When,  however,  the  Legislature  met  in 
Fel)ruary,  1881,  two  oilers  came  before  it,  one  from  a  (ana- 


■  sjrf''* 


■  ,   -^M^'  •■   - 


^^■^:;^^v^^l^'- 


nnsT  EXCURSION  tbip  on  tue  Newfoundland  railway. 


m 


dian,  and  another  from  an  American  syndicate  —  to  build  and 
operate  the  proposed  lino  of  railway.  This  at  once  raised  the 
question  whethe>'  the  railway  should  be  ciirried  out  throuirh  a 
contract  with  a  company  instead  of  b}'  the  Government  itself. 
There  were  weiirhty  objections  of  a  i)olitical  character  to  the 
work  being  ])laced  under  the  control  of  Government,  and  it 
was  considered  that  tho  construction  of  the  line  woidd  be  more 
economically  carried  out  by  contract.  The  Legislature,  there- 
i'or*',  proceeded  to  formally  consider  the  two  pro^-ositions. 
The  result  was  that  the  proposal  of  the   American   syndicate 


lii 


ROADS,   RAILWAYS,    ETC. 


;]8;j 


was  .'icccpted  by  an  ovcnvheliiiing  majority  in  the  House  of 
AsseiuMy. 

The  leading  features  of  the  contract  entered  into  Ix-lwecn 
the  colony  and  thid  company  are  as  follows :  — 

"  Steel  rails  of  the  best  quality  to  ])C  used ;  the  lino  of  rail- 
way to  run  from  St.  John's  to  Hall's  Bay,  with  l)raiu'hes  to 
Ih'igus  and  Harl)or  Grace;  the  distance  estimated  at  three 
hundred  and  forty  miles. 

"A  money  subsidy  of  $180,000  per  annum,  to  be  paid  half- 
yi'arly  by  the  Government,  for  thirt^'-tive  years,  conditional  on 
tlu!  eflicient  maintenance  and  operation  of  the  road,  the  pro- 
portions of  this  subsidy  to  attach  while  the  road  is  in  course  of 
construction,  and  as  each  five  miles  are  comi)leted  and  approved  ; 
land  grants  of  five  thousand  acres  per  mile  of  good  land  are 
secured  to  the  company  in  alternate  blocks  along  the  line  in 
quantities  of  one  mile  along  the  line,  and  eight  miles  in  depth  ; 
and  if  not  o])tainable  alon<r  the  line,  to  be  selected  elsewhere. 
The  company  bind  themselves  to  build  a  substau'.ial,  r<dial)le, 
and  eflicient  road,  subject  to  approval  by  a  Government  in- 
spector, and  to  complete  it  within  five  years." 

The  first  sod  of  the  railway  was  turned  on  the  9th  of  August, 
1881,  and  so  rapidly  has  the  work  been  pushed  on  that  in 
September,  1882,  thirty-five  miles  were  completed  and  in 
running  order;  one  hundred  miles  were  located,  and  th(>  re- 
mainder of  the  line  northward  under  survey.  Including  outlay 
for  lal)or,  purchase  of  rails  and  sleepers  for  future  use,  rolling 
stock,  construction  of  wharf  and  waterside  premises  on  the 
harbor,  the  company  had  expended  over  a  million  dollai-s  on 
the  enterprise  in  July,  1882.  In  July,  18s;},  forty-five  miles 
were  completed  and  in  running  order,  and  it  is  ho})ed  that 
before  the  close  of  1883  one  hundred  miles  will  be  comi)leted, 
and  Harbor  Grace,  the  second  town  in  the  island,  will  be 
reached. 

When  the  Legislature  met  in  February,  1882,  an  api)lication 
came  before  it  for  a  "  Charter  of  Incorporation  for  the  Great 
American  and  European  Short-line  Railway  Company."     The 


ril 


I 
d'^^ 


1'!    f^ 


386 


NE  WFO  UNDLA  ND. 


I 

m 


object  of  this  company  is  to  carry  out  the  project  ali(\'uly 
referred  to,  of  niakinjj  the  great  travel-route  between  Anjcrica 
and  Europe  across  Xewfoundhuid.  Their  i)hin,  however,  is  a 
vast  improvement  on  that  of  Mr.  Sandford  Fleming.  '^\\i'y 
propose  to  construct  a  first-class  railway,  standard  gauge, 
from  the  eastern  coast  of  Xewfoundland  to  a  i)oint  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Ca[)e  liiiy ;  thence  a  st(!am-f('rry  is  to  carry  mails 
and  passengers  to  a  point  nciir  Caix;  North,  in  Cape  Breton,  a 
distance  of  fifty-six  miles ;  from  which  i)oint  a  raihvav  is  to  he 
built  to  the  Strait  of  Canso.  This  being  crossed,  the  railway 
system  of  Canada  and  the  United  States  is  reached,  and  trav- 
ellers can  proceed  to  all  quarters.  A  line  of  the  swiftcist 
steamers  is  to  ply  between  a  port  on  the  west  coast  of  Ireland 
and  the  Xewfoundland  port  at  the  eastern  terminus  of  the 
railway.  The  company  calculate  on  shortening  the  tiuu;  of 
travel  between  London  and  Xcnv  York  by  two  days.  They 
claim  that  "the  short  ocean  })assage,  the  great  saving  in  time, 
together  with  the  superior  comforts  and  safety  of  this  line,  will 
soon  make  it  the  most  popular  route  for  first-class  traus- 
Atlantic  travel,  and  will  also  attract  a  very  large  part  of  the 
emigration  that  now  goes  direct  to  Xew  York  and  other  United 
States  and  Canadian  ports." 

A  select  committee  of  the  House  of  Assembly  was  appointed 
to  consider  and  report  on  his  application.  Their  report  was 
highly  favorable.  In  it  the  committee  said  :  "  The  value  of  our 
geograi)hical  position  in  the  direct  line  of  travel  between 
Europe  and  America  receives  in  this  scheme  its  due  recognition, 
and  the  importance  of  this  fact  can  hardly  be  exaggerated. 
When  the  project  is  realized  this  island  will  occupy  a  })roud 
place  in  the  economy  of  trans- Atlantic  travel,  for  the  advan- 
tages of  the  short  sea  route  will  assert  themselves,  and  will 
become  permanently  accepted.  The  voyage  between  the  Irish 
coast  and  this  island  is  free  from  all  unseen  dangers,  and  no 
steamer  running  between  these  limits  has  ever  met  with  serious 
disaster.  The  distance  of  sea  voyage  is  but  one  thousand  six 
hundred  and  forty  miles,  and  experience  shows  that  the 
approach  to  the  X'^ewfoundland  coast  is  rarely  affected  by  the 
presence   of  fog,  despite   the  popular  theory  in  this  respect. 


ROADS,   RAILWAYS,    ETC. 


387 


On  the  score  of  safety  no  other  trans- Atlantic  route  presents 
equal  attractions,  and  it  is  matter  of  record  that  the  losses  of 
ships  and  life  by  stranding  on  Atlantic  voyages  have,  in  almost 
every  instance,  taken  place  to  the  westward  of  this  island." 
The  report  further  enlarges  on  the  immense  benefits  such  a  line 
of  railway  would  confer  on  Newfoundland,  as  it  would  complete 
(he  line  now  under  construction,  unite  the  eastern  and  western 
coasts,  open  up  the  fertile  lands  and  mineral  treasures  of  the 
latter,  and  promote  its  settlement,  lead  to  a  very  large  mone- 
tary expenditure  among  the  people,  and  bring  the  island  into 
daily  communication  with  the  great  centres  of  trade  and  civili- 
zation of  Europe  and  America. 

The  charter  asked  for  was  readily  granted  by  the  Legislature. 
A  land-grant  of  five  thousand  acres  per  mile  along  I  he  line,  in 
alternate  blocks,  and  an  exclusive  right  of  way  for  forty  years, 
were  secured  to  the  company  ])y  the  charter.  The  iniportation, 
free  of  duty,  of  all  materials  for  the  construction  and  main- 
tenance of  the  line,  was  also  permitted.  The  project  is  sup- 
ported by  a  large  number  of  wealthy  and  intelligent  capitalists. 
Developing,  as  is  proposed,  what  is  claimed  to  be  the  shorte-t 
and  safest  route  between  the  two  hemispheres,  its  establishment 
is  only  a  question  of  time. 


i  \' 


3J'8 


NE  WFO  UNDLAXD. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


1: 


i 


i 


'll 


EDUCATION. 

Tiisc  and  proi^rcss  of  edncational  movements — Legislative  cnactmpnt> — 
Denominational  appointments  —  Government  grants — The  Colonial  ami 
(Jonlinental  Cliurch  Society. 

It  was  not  till  the  year  1843  that  the  Legislature  took  any 
action  in  connection  with  the  promotion  of  education  in  llio 
colony.  Previous  to  that  date  all  educational  efforts  proceeded 
from  religious  bodies  or  individuals,  and,  l)eing  thus  dependent 
on  mere  desultory  and  unorganized  labors ,  education  was  in  a 
low  condition,  and  in  the  wideljv^cattered  settlements  many  of 
the  young  had  grow?i  up  ignorant  of  the  very  rudimcMits  of 
knowledge.  Taking  into  account  the  disadvantages  under 
which  the  peo[)le  hibored  in  regard  to  education,  it  nuist  be  ad- 
niilted  that  the  educational  progress  made  during  the  last 
thirty-nine  years  is  of  a  very  gratifying  character.  The  inter- 
est in  education  is  deepening  and  extending,  and  its  importance 
is  more  fully  realized  among  the  great  body  of  the  people.  A 
very  ii'Hn-al  provision  is  made  for  it  by  the  Legislature,  and 
gradually  impiovoments  Lave  been  introduced.  No  doubt  ver}'' 
much  yet  remains  to  be  done  ;  but  the  advances  already  made, 
and  the  enlightened  zeal  in  the  cause  of  education  now  awakened 
allVn'd  sufficient  guiu'antees  of  future  i)rogress. 

In  1H43  the  initiatory  step  was  taken  by  a  Legislative  Act 
gnniting  a  sum  of  £5,100  annually  for  the  promotion  of  educii- 
tion,  one-half  the  amount  being  api)ropriated  in  sui)i/ort  of 
Protestant  and  one-half  in  support  of  Roman  Catholic  schools. 
Educational  districts  were  defined,  and  a  Uoard  api)ointed  for 
each.  Where  the  majority  of  the  {)opulation  were  Protc.stnnts, 
the  schools  were  to  be  under  a  Protestant  Board  ;  wlu'rc!  Catho- 
lics preponderate,   the   schools  were  to  be   under   a    Catholic 


EDUCATION. 


389 


Board.  An  effort  was  also  made  to  provide  for  the  higher 
education  by  voting  £3,000  for  the  erection  of  an  academy  in 
St.  John's,  witli  sahiries  for  three  teacliers.  From  a  variety  of 
causes  this  academy,  in  which  all  denominations  were  to  receive 
an  united  education,  proved  an  entire  failure.  After  a  trial  of 
six  years  it  was  broken  up ;  and  in  1850  three  academies  were 
founded  on  the  denominational  principle,  one  Roman  Catholic, 
a  second  Church  of  England,  and  a  third  in  which  Wesleyans, 
Presbyterians,  and  Congregationalists  were  united.  At  a  later 
date  the  Wesleyans  obtained  a  separate  academy  for  themselves, 
so  that  no^"  academic  education  is  conducted  in  four  distinct 
establishments  in  St.  John's.  This  may  seem  a  waste  of  power, 
but  in  the  present  state  of  denominational  feeling  separate  edu- 
cation is  perhaps  unavoidable.  Denominational  zeal  ptsrhaps 
furnishes  a  stimulus  to  educational  etlbrts  which  would  oth(;r\vise 
be  wanting.  In  the  elemcMtary  schools  the  denominational 
princi[)le  has  also  been  carried  out,  and  each  religious  denomi- 
nation now  receives  a  grant  for  education  from  the  public  finuls 
in  j)r()poiaou  to  its  numbers.  Separate  Boards  of  education  in 
the  different  districts  have  charge  of  the  schools.  Three 
inspectors  arc  appointed  by  Government,  one  for  Roman  Cath- 
olic schools,  one  for  Church  of  England  schools,  and  one  for 
Wesleyan  schools.  The  gentlemen  who  hold  these  appoint- 
ments are  zealous  and  able  educationists,  and  are  using  every 
effort  to  advance  the  cause  of  education.  Their  annual  rei)orts 
show  a  decided  progress  in  recent  years,  and  the  system  ap[)ears 
to  be  working  well. 

Instead  of  a  Normal  School  an  arrangement  is  in  ojjeralion 
for  the  training  of  pupil  t.'aciiers  in  the  academies.  After  going 
through  a  certain  course  of  education  tiiese  pu})il  teachers  have 
to  undergo  examinations,  are  graded  according  to  their  merits, 
and  on  passing  receive  cerlilicutes,  without  which  they  are  not 
eligible  to  be  api)ointed  to  take  chargt;  of  schools.  This,  in 
duo  time,  will  elevate  the  standard  of  education,  and  incom- 
petent teachers  will  gradually  disapptnu'.  Xo  doultt  normal 
schools  will  he  the  next  step.  The  drawback  under  a  denonii- 
nalional  system  such  as  this  is  that  the  salaries  of  teaclKjrs  are 
lower  than  they  would  bo  were  there  an  united  system  of  edu- 


,!       jI! 


i! 

K 

1    , 
i 

m\ 


I        i 


390 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


^\l 


cation  in  operation,  More  money,  too,  is  required  for  the 
erection  of  school-houses.  Denominati  nal  lines  are  drawn 
more  deeply  l)y  the  education  of  the  young  in  separate  schools. 
The  state  of  religious  feeling,  however,  does  not  at  preseut 
admit  of  an  united  education,  whatever  the  future  may  l)riiig 
about ;  and  the  denominational  system  is  working  to  the  satis- 
faction of  those  interested. 

A  brief  account  of  the  present  condition  of  education  will 
be  interesting,  and  will  show  the  progress  already  made. 

The  total  amount  of  the  annual  legislative  grant  for  element- 
ary schools  and  academies  for  the  whole  of  Newfoundland  and 
Lal)rador  is  $93,952.  Taking  the  population  as  given  in  the 
last  census  of  1874  at  161,000,  this  would  be  a  ])€r  capita 
amount  of  58  cents  for  the  entire  population  for  academic  and 
elementary  education. 


w 


iti 


The  Elementary  Education  Grant  is  . 
For  Pupil  Teacher.s  .... 
For  the  Encouragement  of  Teachers  . 
For  Inspecvion ..... 

JL  Otili         •••••• 


$70,311 
4,0G1 
2,000 
4,000 

$80,372 


This  gives  {xper  capita  grant  of  49  cents  for  elementary  edu- 
cation. The  four  academies  and  two  grammar  schools  receive 
$9,880  per  annum,  or  6  cents  per  capita  of  the  entire  pojjuhi- 
tion. 

The  education  grant  is  divided  among  the  different  religious 
denominations  in  proportion  to  their  numbers,  as  follows:  — 


Church  of  England    . 

Church  of  Rome 

Meiliodists         .  .  .  . 

Pr(>sl)}'terians    .  .         .         . 

Congregationalists     . 

Harbor  Grace  Grammar  School . 


$32,144 

35,571 

20,350 

898 

214 

924 


The  amount  distributed  among  teachers  of  elementary  schools 


EDUCATIOX. 


301 


as  salaries  is  $55,418   per  annum.     The  teachers  of  academies 
receive  as  salaiies  $10,588. 

Denominationally  the  salaries  arc  distributed  as  follows  :  — 

Salaries  of  Elementary  Schools. 
Church  of  England $2i,8?iO 


Roman  Catholic 

Methodists 

Congregationalists 


Total 


Salaries  of  Academies. 


Church  of  England  .... 
Roman  Catholics  .... 
INIethodists  ..... 
General  Protestants  .... 
Carbonear  Methodist  Granmiar  School 
Harbor  Grace  Grammar  School  . 


16,083 
14,230 

285 

$55,418 


$3,115 
1,1  (iO 
3,400 
1,100 
(iOO 
1,213 


The  total  number  of  elementary  schools  in  1881  was  410. 
Of  these  157  belonged  to  the  Church  of  England,  158  to  the 
Roman  Catholics,  i)D  to  the  Metiiodists,  and  2  to  the  C-oiigre- 
trationalists.     There  are  4  academies  and  2  grammar  scliools. 

The  total  niHiiber  of  pupils  in  the  elementary  schools  in  1881 
was  24,202.  Of  these  0,1  (13  belonged  to  the  Church  of 
England,  0,014  to  the  Cliureh  of  Rome,  5,284  to  the  :\lethodist 
Church,  and  02  to  the  Congregational  Church. 

The  total  number  of  pupils  in  the  academics  and  granunar 
schools  in  1881  was  074.  Thus  the  total  number  of  scholars 
is  24,071.  The  total  number  of  pupil  teachers  in  1881 
was  84. 

Since  the  denominational  })rincii>le  was  fully  carried  out,  in 
the  subdivision  of  the  education  grant,  the  increase  of  schools 
has  been  50,  the  incrcas('  of  teachers,  80  ;  the  amount  spent  in 
erecting  school-houses  and  teachers'  houses,  $100,005.  The 
jici'  capita  cost  of  the  education  of  scholars  is  $3.01,  exclusive 
of  fees. 


.,  f 


ili' 


392 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


II 


I 


Tlie  salaries  of  teachers  under  the  Methodist  Boards  are  as 
follows  :  — 


INIale. 


1st  Grade 
2d  Grade 
3(1  (Jrado 
]Ma.\iiiiuin 
Miiiinumi 


$300 
250 
180 
400 
100 


Female. 


1st  Grade 
2d  Grade 
3d  Grade 
^luxiimun 
Miuiinuin 


8200 
ISO 
ICO 

ICO 


No  return  of  salaries  is  given  under  Church  of  Enghniil  and 
lloniaii  Catholic  Boards. 

1'he  census  of  1874  showed  that  there  "were  then  18,I»3.') 
childi-en  attending  school.  This  gave  an  attendance*  at  school 
of  al)()ut  one  in  eight  of  the  })opulation.  Estiuialiug  tlio 
})oi)ulation  in  1882  at  18o,000,  then,  the  number  attending 
school  being  24,971,  the  attendance  is  about  one  in  sewn  of 
the  i)oi)ulation.  Tl\ere  is,  therefore,  an  increase  of  attcndaiic;^ 
at  scliool  during  the  last  eight  years  in  pro})oi'ti()n  to  jjopu- 
hition.  As  the  colony  is  increasing  in  })opulation  and  wcalili, 
educational  imi)rovenients  will  no  doul)t  keep  pace  with  (he 
material  prosperity.  The  great  desideratum  at  present  is  a 
more  i)crfect  training  for  the  teachers,  and  an  increase  of  their 
salaries. 

In  connection  with  the  cause  of  education  in  Newfoundland 
•rratel'ul  acknowledi>inent  is  due  to  "The  Colonial  and  Conti- 
nental  Cluu'ch  Society,"  by  whose  instrumentality  schools  have 
l)een  maintained  in  the  island  for  more  than  half  a  century, 
and  most  valuable  educational  work  has  been  done,  especially 
at  a  tim(»  when  the  need  of  the  poor  inhal)itants  was  ooivst. 
These  schools  have  been  mr.intained  mainly  by  the  liberality 
of  th(>  meml)ers  of  the  Society,  their  etl'orts  having  been 
acknowledged  and  aided  by  an  amuial  grant  tVom  the  funds  of 
the  colony.  In  fact,  the  beginning  of  couunou  school  educalion 
in  the  island  may  be  said  to  date  from  1823,  when  "The 
Newfoundland  School  Society"  was  founded  in  London  by 
Saunud  Codner,  a  Newfoundland  merchant.  It  began  by 
opening   schools    in    St.    John's,    Harbor   Grace,  Trinity,  and 


E  DUCAT  I  ox. 


393 


other  i)laces  ;  and  under  the  supervi./ion  of  the  teachers  at  these 
princi|)al  places  branch  schools  were  opened  in  the  smaller 
.settlements.  The  society  afterwards  extended  its  oi)erations 
to  other  parts  of  British  North  America,  and  in  1851  it  united 
with  the  "Colonial  Church  Society,"  taking  the  new  name 
of  "The  Colonial  Church  and  School  Society."  The  amalga- 
mation seems  to  have  led  to  a  rapid  growth  of  means  and 
extension  of  operations.  Having  established  a  large  number  of 
chaplaincies  on  the  continent  of  Europe  for  the  benelit  of 
English  travellers  and  residents,  its  name  was  auain  chani^ed, 
in  18G1,  to  "The  Colonial  and  Continental  Church  Society.'' 
It  is  worth  remembering  that  this  important  missionary  society, 
with  a  present  annual  incoi  c  of  over  £40,000,  l)egan  with  the 
formation  of  the  Newfoundland  School  Society  in  liS23. 

Since  the  Legislature  undertook  the  work  of  public  education, 
the  position  in  the  island  of  this  old  Society  has  become  less 
prominent.  At  the  present  time  it  has  twenty  schools  in 
operation,  and,  taking  the  average  of  the  last  live  years,  the 
number  of  scholars  attending  them  is  2,2i)5,  and  the  average 
expenditure  on  their  account  about  £2,0(>v/.  The  Legislature 
aids  the  Society'  in  its  educational  work  in  the  island  by  a  grant 
of  £o00  sterling,  taken  out  of  the  Church  of  England  share  of 
the  education  grant,  the  remainder  of  the  expenditure  being 
furnished  from  the  funds  of  the  Society,  and  also  in  i)art  from 
subscriptions  in  Newfoundland  and  from  a  [)ortion  of  the  school 
fees.  The  Central  Schools  in  St.  »John*s  are  used  by  the  Church 
of  England  Boards  of  Education  as  a  traininij^  school  for  their 
teachers,  male  and  female,  nearly  twenty  teachers  being  sent 
out  every  year. 

Honorable  mention  is  also  due  to  the  Christian  Brothers,  who 
have  in  operation  a  school  in  St.  John's  attended  by  350  pupils. 
Their  school-rooms  are  the  (inest  and  best  arranged  and  e(juii)ped 
in  the  island,  and  the  character  (>f  the  instruction  imparted  l)y 
them  is  deservedly  spoken  of  in  the  highest  terms.  They  are 
doing  au  excellent  educational  work  in  St.  John's. 


if 


394 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


^ 


CHAPTER   V. 


RELIGIOUS  DENOMINATIONS. 

Protestant  and  Roman  Catholic  scttlori — The  Church  of  Eni,'lan(l  — The  early 
missionaries  and  the  first  hishopri-;  —  Wesleyan  Methodism- and  Congrega- 
tionalism—  Progress  of  Presbyteriivnism. 

The  census  of  1874  showed  that  there  were  at  tliat  date 
97,057  Protestants,  and  G4,317  lloman  Catholics.  Of  the 
Protestants  59,561  belonged  to  the  Church  of  England  ;  the 
Wesloyans  luunbered  35,702;  the  Prcsl)ytcrians,  l,lt)<S;  the 
Congregationalists,  401  ;  other  denominations,   105. 

According  to  the  census  of  1857  the  denominations  stood  as 
follows  :  — 


Protestants 
Catholics  . 


05,743 

50,895 


The  Protestant  denominations  stood  thus 


(I      I 


Church  of  England 
Wesle}'ans 
Presl)yterians     . 
Congregationalists 
Other  denominations 


44,285 

20,229 

838 

347 

44 


i 


li(!sidcs,  there  were  in  Labrador  1,331  adherents  of  the 
Church  of  Euii'land  and  319  Roman  Catholics. 

The  jjreat  bulk  of  the  oriuinal  Protestant  settlors  who  arrived 
year  after  year  were  English  from  the  south-western  counties, 
and  nearly  all  of  them  Ijclonged  to  the  Church  of  lOngland. 
The  Roman  Catholic  settlers  came  from  Ireland.  A  number  of 
Scotch  mercantile  establishments  have  been  for  about    eighty 


RELIGIOUS  DENOMINATIONS. 


395 


years  engaged  in  the  business  of  the  country,  and  are  among 
the  most  extensive  and  prosperous  of  the  exporting  firms.  In 
connection  with  them  came  thf;  original  representativ'cs  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  whose  numbers  in  1874  did  not  much 
exceed  1,000.  English  dissent  was  represented  as  early  as 
1775  by  a  Congregational  Church  in  St.  John's,  whose  adhe- 
rents in  1874  numbered  4(J1. 

It  was  not  till  1703  that  any  organized  effort  was  made  on 
the  part  of  the  Church  of  England  to  supply  the  spiritual  wants 
of  its  adherents,  who,  in  considera))lc  numbers,  were  settled  on 
the  shores  of  the  island.  The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of 
the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts  was  established  in  1701,  and  their 
attention  was  at  once  directed  to  Newfoundland.  At  that  time 
there  Avas  but  one  Protestant  clergyman  in  the  island,  — a  Mr. 
Jackson,  who  was  in  St.  John's.  The  Society  adopted  him  as 
its  missionary,  and  gave  him  a  salary  of  £50  per  annum.  Tiie 
efforts  of  the  Society  were  gradually  extended  year  after  year, 
and  more  missionaries  were  sent  as  the  population  increased. 
Conception,  Trinity,  and  Bonavista  bays  were  the  seats  of  the 
early  missions  of  the  Church  of  England.  Churches  were 
built  in  St.  John's,  Harbor  Grace,  Carbonear,  Old  and  New 
Perlican.  In  1787  a  memorial  was  presented  to  the  Society 
from  the  inhabitants  of  Placentia  Bay,  asking  for  a  missionary, 
and  promising  to  contribute  to  his  support.  His  Royal  High- 
ness Prince  William  Henry,  afterwards  King  William  IV., 
then  in  command  of  a  ship  of  war  on  the  station,  contril)uted 
handsomely  to  the  erection  of  a  church  at  Placentia,  and  pre- 
sented it  with  a  set  of  communion  plate,  which  is  still  preserved. 

The  hardships,  perils,  and  jirivations  encountered  by  these 
early  missionaries  were  very  great,  and  too  much  praise  cannot 
be  afccorded  them  for  their  self-denying  la1)()rs.  In  carrying 
the  consolations  of  religion  to  the  poor  fishermen  of  those  days, 
in  their  widely-scattered  settlements,  their  journeys  had  to 
be  made  by  sea  in  open  boats  or  small  fishing-vessels,  as  there 
were  no  roads  ;  and  in  these  frail  barks  they  had  to  cross  wide 
arms  of  the  sea,  and  double  headlands  and  ])romontories 
exposed  to  the  great  swell  of  the  Atlantic.  The  cold  of  winter 
had  to  be  encountered  in  rude  wooden  houses  of  the  poorest 


ill' 


'      I 


ii 


11 1  • 


<v' 


W    l\: 


396 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


description,  and  through  the  blinding  snow-storm  they  had  often 
to  make  their  way  from  one  fishing  hamlet  to  another.  iikc 
Goldsmith's  curate,  they  were  "  passing  rich  on  £40  a-y  ar,' 
the  hu'gost  salary  the  Society  could  give  them  being  £V,  per 
annum.  One  of  them,  a  Mr.  Langnian,  a  most  laborioi  •  iuis- 
sionary.  who  had  £50  a  year  from  the  Societ\  vcpr*  sented  (hat 
thi*  i  -tk  gratuitici  he  received  frjm  his  flock  were  (]uite  incon- 
siuoiubK-,  and  that  ''he  had  to  go  and  beg  for  them  as  a  jjoor 
wuv.  ould  for  alms."  It  was  not  till  1814  that  the  salaries 
r(>-iKi  l(;  ^100  per  annum.  It  is  not  wonderful  that  under  i^ucii 
discouri.-iii^T  circumstances  the  progi'css  of  the  Church  of 
England  in  the  colony  should  have  been  very  slow. 

In  1787  the  first  colonial  bish()i)ric  was  created,  that  of  Nova 
Scotia,  "'with  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction  over  the  provinces  of 
Upper  and  Lower  Canada,  New  Brunswick,  and  the  Isli.nd  of 
Newfoundland."  It  was  not  till  1827  that  Bishop  Inglis,  of 
Nova  Scotia,  was  able  to  visit  this  portion  of  his  '  niuciise 
diocese.  He  found  l)ut  nine  clerjivmen  and  missionaries  in  (lie 
Avhole  island.  There  were  six  hundred  connnunieants  and 
twenty-three  school-masters.  At  length,  in  1831),  Newfoundland 
was  erected  into  a  separate  diocese,  including  the  Bernmdas, 
and  the  Rev.  Aubrey  8.  Spencer,  archdeacon  of  Bernuida,  was 
consecrated  to  the  new  see.  He  found  but  eight  clergymen  in 
the  Island,  and  the  church  in  a  very  disorganized  and  dispirited 
condition.  Throu":h  his  zealous  labors  a  \xvQ\\t  chan<jje  for  llie 
better  was  eftected,  and  the  church  speedily  made  marked 
progress.  In  two  years  he  was  able  to  report  that  a  theological 
semniary  for  training  missionaries  was  opened,  that  there  were 
twenty-live  clergymen,  thirty  thousand  church-membi'rs,  three 
thousand  two  hundred  scholars  in  the  Sunday  schools,  and 
between  two  and  three  thousand  in  day  schools.  In  lS4i5  he 
laid  the  foundation  of  a  cathedral  in  St.  John's,  which  \vas 
consecrated  in  1850.  l^ishop  Spencer  was  succeeded  in  l^^l  t 
by  Dr.  Edward  Feild,  of  Queen's  College,  Oxford,  who  con- 
tinued l)ishop  for  thirty-two  years,  till  his  death  in  LSTt!. 
Under  his  zealous  and  devoted  l;ilK)rs  the  Church  prospered  and 
extended  itself;  work  on  the  Cathedral  was  helped  along; 
oi-phauages  were  erected;  Sunday  and  day  schools  increased  in 


RELIGIO  US  DEXOMINA  TIOXS. 


397 


numV'^r.s  ;  and  the  Church  was  thoroughly  organized.  Bishop 
Fcild  was  most  al)undant  in  labors,  never  shrinking  from  toil  o" 
peril  in  the  dise'iTge  of  his  duties.  By  all  denominations  his 
self-denial  and  devotedness  were  admired  and  appreciated. 
Dr.  J.  r.  ivelly  was  appointed  coadjutor  in  18()7,  but  failing 
health  compelled  him  to  resign  in  1877.  lie  was  succeeded,  in 
1878,  by  the  Rev.  Llewellyn  Jones,  D.D.,  who  is  now  the 
bishop  of  the  diocese. 

The  diocese  is  now  divided  into  eight  deaneries,  and  the  num- 
ber of  clergy  is  fifty.  A  diocesan  s^'nod  was  established  in 
1873.  A  theological  college  for  the  educ  '^n  of  candidates  for 
holy  orders  has  been  in  operation  for  a  Kng'  of  time,  and  is 
now  endowed.  Orphanages  for  destitu*  chii  n  of  both  sexes 
have  been  founded  on  a  secure  bas?  i 'mj  cathedral  in  St. 
John's,  of  which  only  the  nave  was  com^  'cod,  is  now  advanc- 
ing towards  entire  completion,  and  ,v''l  bo  a  very  beautiful  and 
spacious  structure.  The  total  numii  :  of  churches  l)elonging 
to  the  Church  of  England  in  Newfoundland  and  Labrador  is  at 
present  one  hundred  and  two. 

In  1874  the  Koman  Catholic  inhal)itants  of  Newfoundland 
numbered  64,317.  Catholicism  was  founded  in  the  island  as 
early  as  1623,  l)y  Sir  George  Calvert,  an  Englishman,  who,  as 
described  in  the  historical  sketch,  settled  at  Ferryland.  Dur- 
ing the  occupation  of  portions  of  the  island  by  the  French, 
priests  of  the  Franciscan  Order  acted  as  chaplains  to  the  French 
ships  of  war,  and  to  all  forts  manned  by  over  forty  men.  In 
1689  the  Catholic  bishop  of  Quebec  visited  Placentia,  then  in 
the  occupation  of  the  French,  and  Ijrought  with  him  several 
priests  from  the  Franciscan  convent  in  (Quebec.  The  Church 
there  was  placed  under  their  care,  and  a  royal  license  was 
obtained  for  the  estal>lishment  of  a  convent  of  Franciscans  in 
Placentia.  When,  in  1713,  Newfoundland  was  placed  entirely 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  England,  and  the  French  retired,  all 
ecclesiastical  records  were  taken  to  France.  Unhappily  the 
reign  of  religious  intolerance  connnenced  soon  after,  and  con- 
tinued for  more  than  sixty  years.  For  an  account  of  the  per- 
secutions endured  by  Koman  Catholics  in  those  days  reference 
is  made  to  the  historical  portion  of  this  work.     The  disabilities 


M'l 


1    .. 


!     ' 


398 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


Ji 


m 


H! 


of  Roman  Catholics  came  to  an  end  in  1784,  when  liberty  of 
conscience  and  the  free  exercise  of  their  religion  were  granted 
to  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  island.  In  that  year  the  Ivonian 
Catholic  Church  in  Newfoundland  was  publicly  organized  i)y 
the  appointment  of  Dr.  O'Donnell  as  Prefect  Ai)Ostolic,  by 
Pope  Pius  VI.  In  1796,  the  population  having  increased,  and 
episcoi^al  superintendence  being  needed,  Dr.  O'Donnell  wa^ 
appointed  Vicar  Apostolic  and  Bishop.  Under  his  superintend- 
ence numerous  churches  were  built,  and  the  ministrations  of 
religion  carried  out  in  localities  where  previously  they  were  un- 
known. Bishop  O'Donnell  retired  from  office  in  consequence 
of  age  and  infirmity  in  1807,  and  died  in  Waterford  in  I'SU,  in 
his  seventy-fourth  year.  lie  was  succeeded  by  Bishop  Lam- 
bert, who  held  office  till  1817,  when  Dr.  Thomas  Scalhin  was 
appointed  bishop.  He  died  in  1830,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Bishop  Fleming,  who  held  office  till  1850.  In  1847  Newfound- 
land was  erected  into  a  diocese,  and  Dr.  Mullock  became 
coadjutor  bishop,  and  in  1850  he  succeeded  Bishop  riemiug. 
The  cathedral,  which  was  commenced  by  Bishop  Fleming  in 
1841,  was  consecrated  September  9,  1855.  "With  the  adja- 
cent episcopal  residence,  convents,  and  college,  it  cost  over 
£120,000.  In  1856  Newfoundland  was  divided  into  two 
dioceses  —  St.  John's,  comprising  the  southern  part  of  the 
island  from  Bay  of  Islands  to  Spaniard's  Bay ;  and  Harbor 
Grace,  all  the  northern  portion,  and  Labrador.  These  l)ouu- 
daries  have  since  been  altered  to  a  slight  extent.  Dr.  Daltou 
was  the  first  bishop  of  Harbor  Grace,  and  the  Rt.  Rev.  Henry 
Carfagnini  the  second.  By  a  decree  of  17th  September,  1871, 
the  western  portion  of  the  island  was  erected  into  a  prefecture 
apostolic.  Dr.  Mullock  died  in  1869,  and  in  1870  the  present 
bishop,  the  Rt.  Rev.  Thomas  Joseph  Power,  was  consecrated 
in  Rome  by  His  Eminence  Cardinal  CuUen. 

In  the  diocese  of  St.  John's  there  are  now  a  cathedral, 
twenty-six  churches,  besides  a  number  of  chapels,  twenty-nine 
priests,  a  college,  thirteen  convents,  and  a  female  orphanage. 
In  the  diocese  of  Harbor  Grace,  of  which  Dr.  McDonald  is  now 
bishop,  there  are  a  cathedral,  fourteen  churches,  besides  a 
number  of  chapels,  sixteen  priests,  and  five  convents.     In  the 


\    it 


REL IGIO  US  DENOMINA  TIONS. 


399 


prefecture  apostolic  of  St.  George's,  West  Newfoundlaiul,  of 
which  the  Very  Ilev.  ^lonseigneur  Sears  is  prefect  apostolic, 
there  are  three  churches  and  three  priests. 

Wesleyau  Methodism  presents  an  honorable  record  in  New- 
foundland, and  has  been  characterized  by  zeal,  activity,  and 
usefulness.  It  dates  from  170.'),  when  the  Kev.  Lawrence 
Coughlan,  a  travelling  preacher  in  connection  with  the  Kev. 
John  Wesley,  was  ordained  by  the  Bishop  of  London,  at  the 
request  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in 
Foreign  Parts,  that  he  might  be  qualified  for  the  office  of  a 
missionary  in  Newfoundland.  At  that  time  the  state  of  relig- 
ion and  morality,  among  a  people  who  had  been  long  neglected 
and  left  almost  without  religious  instruction  and  education,  is 
described  as  deplorable.  Immorality  of  the  worst  descri})tion 
abounded,  and  religious  worship  was  maintained  in  but  a  few 
localities.  Mr.  Coughlan's  labors  were  mainly  in  Harbor  Grace, 
Carbonear,  and  other  places  in  Conception  Bay,  He  encoun- 
tered a  great  amount  of  opposition  and  bitter  persecution, 
especially  from  some  of  the  wealthier  classes,  till  at  last  he 
was  cited  to  appear  before  the  Governor,  who  declared  in  his 
favor,  and  appointed  him  a  justice  of  the  peace.  This  ended 
the  persecution,  and  he  continued  to  labor  quietly  and  with 
marked  success.  Three  churches  were  built,  and  in  these  he 
ministered,  till  failing  health  compelled  him  to  return  to  Eng- 
land, where  he  published  a  book,  dedicated  to  the  Countess 
of  Huntingdon,  in  which  he  gave  an  account  of  his  work  in 
Newfoundland.  In  1786  three  missionaries  were  sent  to  the 
colony  by  the  Wesleyan  organization,  to  prosecute  Mr.  Cough- 
lan's work.  Ten  years  later  there  was  but  one  Wesleyan 
missionary  in  the  island,  and  in  1806  two  missionaries  and 
508  members.  The  work  went  on  and  extended  as  the 
population  increased.  In  1814  Newfoundland  was  constituted 
a  separate  district  with  a  superintendent.  In  1829  there  were 
twelve  missionaries  and  1,147  members.  In  1840  there  were 
laboring  in  the  island  fourteen  ministers  and  ten  local  i)reachers  ; 
there  were  2,733  members,  and  15,000  adherents.  Sunday  and 
day  schools  were  conducted  in  connection  with  the  missions. 
The  census  of  1857   gave  the  number  of  Wesleyans  in  the 


l! 


I 


* 


I' 


I  I 


^^^ 


w 


400 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


I 


I 


I 


island  as  20,229  ;  ministers  seventeen,  and  thurches  thirty- 
seven.  The  census  of  1874  states  the  niunhcr  of  Wesleyans  as 
35,702,  and  the  number  of  churches  as  forty-two.  At  present 
Newfoundland  is  constituted  a  separate  Conference,  with  a 
president,  and  is  divided  into  three  districts  —  St.  John's, 
Carhonear,  and  Bonavista.  The  total  number  of  ministers  is 
forty-nine,  and  of  churches  forty-four. 

Congregationalism  in  Newfoundland  dates  from  the  year 
1775,  when  a  church  was  formed  under  the  Rev.  John  Jones. 
He  had  been  originally  a  soldier  in  the  artillery  stationed  in 
St.  John's,  and,  having  been  led  to  engage  in  religious  work, 
his  ministrations  proved  so  acceptal)le  that  on  his  discharge 
from  his  regiment  he  was  ordained  in  England  to  be  niini>t('r 
of  the  church  in  St.  John's,  which  had  been  })lantod  under  his 
auspices.  His  labors  extended  over  twenty-one  years.  He 
died  in  1800.  The  single  church  thus  organized  has  maintained 
itself  ever  since,  and  has  always  sustained  a  high  character  lor 
usefulness  and  zealous  Christian  work.  Its  ministn-s  and 
members  have  liberally  aided  other  denominations,  and  shared 
in  efforts  to  advance  the  best  interests  of  the  community. 
There  are  now,  in  addition  to  the  church  in  St.  John's,  a 
congregational  church  at  Twillingate,  another  at  Rendell  Ihu'I)or, 
Trinity  Bay,  and  two  mission  stations  at  Fortune  Bay.  The 
census  of  1874  gives  the  numl)er  of  Congregational ists  in  the 
island  as  4G1.  Of  late  years  they  have  taken  an  active  part  in 
education  in  proportion  to  theii  numbers,  having  in  operation 
five  elementary  schools,  with  an  average  attendance  of  207,  and 
expending  $884  per  annum  in  the  support  of  these  schools. 

The  first  Presbyterian  church  was  organized  in  1842.  Pre- 
viously the  Presbyterian  residents  of  St.  John's  had  worshipi)cd 
with  the  members  of  other  Christian  churches,  but  they  then 
formed  themselves  into  a  distinct  body,  and  erected  a  church 
Avhich  was  opened  for  public  worship  on  December  3,  1843. 
Their  first  minister  was  the  Rev.  Donald  A.  Fraser,  a  man  of 
considerable  gifts  and  attainments,  whose  labors  were  cut  short 
by  death  in  1845.  The  congregation  numbered  about  live 
hundred  persons,  some  of  the  most  intelligent,  influeutitd,  and 
wealthy  residents  being  members.     The  causes  which  had  led 


RELIGIOUS  DENOMINATIONS. 


401 


to  the  disruption  of  the  Estal)lisheti  Church  of  Scothuul  at 
length  produced  a  division  among  thciu ;  and  the  portion 
sympathizing  with  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland  separated  in 
1848,  and  erected  a  second  Presl)3'terian  churcb,  which  was 
opened  for  worship  in  1850.  In  1855  a  third  Presbyterian 
church  was  erected  in  Harbor  Grace.  In  1870  both  the 
Presbyterian  churches  in  St.  John's  were  destroyed  by  tire. 
The  two  congregations  being  now  under  the  same  ecclesiastical 
jurisdiction,  namely,  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Canada,  resolved  on  union,  which  was  effected  in 
1877.  On  the  18tli  of  June,  1878,  the  corner-stone  of  St. 
Andrew's  church  was  laid.  It  is  a  handsome  structure,  and 
was  completed  at  a  cost  of  $40,000,  and  opened  for  worship  on 
the  30th  of  November,  1871). 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing,  there  is  a  Presbyterian  church 
and  mission  station  at  Little  Bay  Mine,  also  a  mission  church  at 
Bay  of  Islands.  The  total  number  of  Presbyterians,  according 
to  the  census  of  1874,  is  1,168. 


i 

P'l 

I 


1'     1,1 


m 


El 


M." 


,r 


402 


NE  WFO  UXDLAND. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


i 


THE    POST-OFFICE,   COXSTABULAllY,   LIGHT-HOUSES, 

BANKS,   ETC. 

The  mail  service  —  Cost  of  tlie  postal  department — Tho  police  force — Thirty- 
two  light-houses  and  beacons  —  The  light  dues  —  Bank  statistics. 

Postal  communication  between  St.  John's,  Britain,  and 
Amoricti  i.s  maintained  by  the  AlUin  Line  of  steamers  wliich 
loach  at  St.  John's  fortnightly,  on  their  outward  and  homeward 
voyages  between  Halifax  and  Liverpool.  During  three  winter 
months  these  steamers  omit  calling  at  St.  John's,  and  run  direct 
l)ctween  Liverpool  and  Halifax.  A  fortnightly  steamer  during 
those  months  runs  between  St.  John's  and  Halifax,  carrying 
passengers  and  mails.  There  is  thus  fortnightly  mail  com- 
munication throughout  the  year  with  Britain    and  America. 

Local  i)ostal  connnunication  between  St.  John's  and  the 
various  towns,  villages,  and  settlements  is  maintained  by 
coastal  steamers,  wagons,  boats,  and  messengers.  During 
riinnmer  comnumication  is  maintained  between  St.  John's  and 
the  principal  northern  ports  by  a  fortnightly  mail-steamer, 
which  connects,  during  part  of  the  season,  witii  the  Labrador 
mail-steamer  at  Battle  Harbor.  In  winter  there  is  an  overland 
mail  monthly,  Another  coastal  steamer  runs  fortnightly  bt"- 
tween  St.  John's  and  the  southern  and  west(  rn  ports  during 
the  year.  A  steamer  plies  on  Conception  Bay  during  nine 
months  of  the  year. 

In  the  post-othce,  St.  John's,  the  etatf  consists  of  the  post- 
master-general, four  clerks,  an  assistant  clerk,  and  mail  agent 
ft)r  Labrador,  two  assortt  rs,  and  two  letter-carriers.  There  is 
also  a  superintendent  of  the  money-order  office.  There  arv 
throughout  the  island  twenty-six  i-ostmasters  and  ninety-two  way 
ollicers.     The  aimual  cost  of  the  postal  department  is  $"28,8;)4. 


THE  rOST-OFFICE,    COXSTABULARY,    ETC. 


A0:\ 


The  constubuliiiy  consists  at  present  of  one  jjreneral  superin- 
tendent, one  sul)-insi)eetor,  four  head-eonstahles,  twelve  ser- 
geants, ninety  constables,  and  six  cavahy,  including  a  mounted 
sergeant. 

The  force  is  organized,  equipped,  and  disciplined  in  every 
respect  similar  to  the  Koyal  Irish  Constabulary  ;  and,  properly 
speaking,  it  is  a  military  as  well  as  a  civil  force,  being 
thoroughly  drilled  in  the  use  of  anns,  etc. 

This  force  was  first  organized  after  the  withdrawal  of  the 
military  in  1871,  hy  the  late  general-superintendent,  Mr.  Foley, 
selected  by  the  Home  Government,  avIio  died  when  the  force 
was  only  in  its  infancy.  The  present  general-superintendent, 
Mr.  Carty,  who  was  also  selected  by  the  Home  Government, 
and  succeeded  Mr.  Foley  in  1873,  has  carried  out  the  organiza- 
tion so  successfully  that,  at  the  i)resent  moment,  the  Newfound- 
land Constabuhuy  is  a  s})lendid  body  of  men,  and  considered 
far  sui)erior  to  any  other  forces  in  any  of  her  Majesty's  colonies, 
and  second  only  in  efficiency,  zeal,  and  intelligence  to  the  Royal 
Irish  Constabularv. 

The  constal)les  arc  drilled  and  instructed  in  their  various 
police  duties  at  Fort  Townsend,  which  is  thehcad-(juarters  ;  and 
the  best  and  most  efficient  men  are  always  scdected  for  the  out- 
harbor  stations,  which  number  at  present  thirty-foiu'. 

The  force  is  increasing  in  numbers  from  year  to  year,  an(,l 
the  greatest  confidence  is  placed  in  their  zeal  and  efficiency  by 
the  inhabitants  of  the  colony  in  general,  so  much  so  that  almost 
every  settlement  in  the  colony  is  loudly  demanding  thcii- 
services. 

The  permanent  force  at  St.  John's  consists  of  fifty  men  ;  and 
on  all  i)ublic  occasions  a  guard  of  honor  is  furnislied  from  the 
force  of  cavalry  and  infantry. 

The  annual  cost  of  the  magisterial  and  police  department  is 
$(U,7()2. 

The  coast  of  Newfoundland  is  now  well  lighted,  and  every 
year  witnesses  an  increase  of  light-houses  and  other  valuable' 
means  of  securing  the  safety  of  its  large  seafaring  po[)ulation. 
At  present  there  are  thirty-two  light-houses  and  beacons,  and 
four  fog  signals  at  the  most  dangerous  points  around  the  ■chores. 


ii'i 


^ 


.  I 


404 


NE  WFO  UXDLAND. 


Diiriiii:^  the  last  oiiiht  yoars  the  Govorninont  have  eroctcd  no 
less  tliun  sevonteoii  liufht-honses  and  fog  alarms,  with  otiicr 
appliaiK'os  for  pvcscrviiiir  the  lives  and  property  of  the  people, 
at  a  cost  of  $<S(],1()().  The  erection  of  all  these  thirty-two 
liuiit-houses  has  heen  the  work  of  the  last  fortv-seven  veins. 
In  1H18  a  liirht-house  was  })laeed  at  Fort  Amherst,  at  the 
enti'anee  of  St.  John's  harbor.  No  further  etibrt  was  made  to 
liu'ht  the  coast  till  1H;J'),  when  the  k)cal  Legislature  ])ass('(l  mi 
Act  for  the  eretion  of  a  light-house  on  ('ajK!  Spear,  tive  niilcs 
south  of  St.  John's,  and  for  another  at  Harbor  (Jrace.  (',i|ii' 
Bonavista  light-house  was  built  in  1843;  Cape  Pine:  in  Isjl  ; 
Cape  Race  in  IH")!);  Uaccalieu  in  LSol) ;  Ca})e  St.  ^Mary's,  isiKi. 
In  1S72  a  powerful  steam  whistle  Avas  placed  at  Cajx'  Kacc  :  in 
1S77  a  })owcrful  siren  trumi)(>t  at  Ca})e  St.  Francis;  and  at 
Cape  Spear  a  compressed  air  trump(!t.  These  are  soundecl  day 
and  night  during  the  continuance  of  thick  weather  or  sntnv- 
btorms.  A  32-[)()un(ler  gun  is  placed  at  Fort  Amiierst,  and 
discliarged  every  hour  during  dayliglit  when  the  cape  is  en- 
veloped in  fog. 

To  sustain  the  light-house  and  alarm  system  light  dues  arc 
collected  to  the  extent  of  one;  siiilling  per  ton  on  all  vessel- 
entering  any  i)ort  or  harlx-r  of  the  colony,  except  coasting, 
sealing,  or  tishing  vessels,  l)ut  not  to  bo  levied  more  than  once 
a  year.  Sealing  and  coasting  vessels  pay  sixpence  per  ton  on 
registered  vesscds  of  forty  tons  and  upwards ;  vessels  under 
forty  tons  pay  rit'teen  sliillings  per  ton.  No  greater  siun  than 
£2.')  can  be  levied  in  any  year  on  any  steamer  or  vessel  enterinLT 
any  port  of  thi>  colony;  and  no  steamer  l)lying  between  Euroiie 
and  any  port  of  North  America  and  entering  any  ])ort  of  liie 
colony,  as  a  port  of  call,  is  liable  to  pay  any  liglit  dues  or  any 
port  charges  excel )t   i)ilotage. 

The  amount  of  light  dues  collected  in  1881  was  $31, ''SO.  A 
sum  of  $  t(),UO()  per  amuuu  is  reipiired  to  sustain  the  system. 

There  are  three  banks,  all  in  St.  John's  —  the  Savings-lJank, 
the  rni(m  Bank,  and  the  Commerci;d  Bank.  They  are  all  well- 
manaued  and  successful  institutions. 

The  Savings-Bank  is  a  Government  estal)lishmen(,  and  it  i- 
eMact<'d  l)v  statute  that  ''the  u'cneral  revenue  of  the  colnnv  i- 


THE  POST-OFFICE,    COXSTADULAR  V,    ETC. 


40') 


litible  for  all  moneys  dopositcd  in  the  Itank,  and  all  interests 
payable  thereon."  This  ^ives  absolute  security  to  dc^positors. 
Bcinj^  thus  a  colonial  institution,  tiie  (Jovernor-in-Council 
appoints  the  cashier  and  eiirht  irovcrnors.  live  of  whom  are 
selected  from  the  members  of  the  House  of  Assembly,  and 
three  from  the  Le<:islative  Council.  Three  directors  are 
amuially  elected  by  these  <rovernors  from  amonu"  themselves, 
and  by  them  the  alfairs  of  the  baidc  are  su[)erintended.  De- 
positors of  not  less  than  four  dollars,  or  over  two  hundivd  and 
tifty  dollars,  Ibr  a  period  of  not  less  than  six  months,  rei-eive 
interest  at  the  rate  of  three  per  cent.  i)er  amuun.  Lariicr 
sums  may  Ix!  received  as  ordered  and  delined  by  the  (iovernoi- 
in-Council ;  and  the  amount  ou  which  interest  will  l)e  paid  is 
regulated  in  the  same  Avay. 

On  the  31st  December,  1871),  the  amount  of  d('j)<)>its  in 
the  Savings-Bank  was  $1,1.'U, ")().").  The  profits  of  the  year 
amounted  to  $17,;}01.  The  reserve  fund  at  the  end  of  the  year 
amounted  to  $l01,l)lib  liy  an  Act  of  the  Legislatun;  this  is 
now  constituted  a  sinking-fund  for  the  li(i',n(lation  of  th"  public 
debt  of  tlui  colony,  the  annual  profits  of  the  Saving.--l>ank 
])eing  added  to  it  from  year  to  year.  In  the;  tirst  instance,  this 
fund  will  be  ai)j)lied  to  the  })ayment  of  all  debentures  of  the 
colony  held  by  the  Savings-Iiank,  amounting  to  $51)5,84!),  or 
nearly  half  of  the  entire  i)ublic  di'l)t.  'i'his  will  be  clearecl  oil' 
in  about  sixteen  years.  The  Savings-lJank  has  a  branch  in 
Harbor  (iracc. 

On  the  ;Ust  December,  1880,  the  amount  of  deposits  in  the 
Savings-r)ank  was  §1,211>,787.  On  the  iUst  December,  issl, 
the  (h.'[)osits  amounted  to  $l.21ll,l()2,  being  an  increa.>e  of 
$71,874  on  those  of  the  pre\ioiis  year.  The  profits  of  the  year 
were  $115, 21:5.     The  profits  of  18.S0  were  $li), ()()(). 

The  Union  Bank  of  Newfoundland  i>  one  of  llu!  most  pros- 
perous banking  institutions  now  in  existence  It  was  establi>hed 
in  1854.  During  the  lirst  eighteen  years  it  paid  an  average 
dividend  and  bonus  of  eleven  and  a  half  per  cent.  j)er  aninnn. 
The  reserve  fund  was  then  so  large  that  the  direcloi-s  derlaicd 
a  special  bonus  of  jit'ty  per  cent.,  whi<'h  was  taken  by  the  share- 
holders in  paid-up  shares.     On  this  increased  cai)ital  the  divi- 


!liU. 


400 


NEWFOUNDLAXD. 


dencls  and  bonuses  have  of  late  years  been  twenty  per  cent,  per 
annum,  or  to  original  sharcliolders  equivalent  to  twenty-seven 
per  cent,  on  their  investment.  The  original  $200  share  now 
sells  for  $800.  Last  session  the  bank  o])tained  an  amendment 
of  its  charter  enabling  it  to  increase  its  capital  and  note 
circulation. 

The  Commercial  Bank  is  also  a  very  prosperous  institution. 
It  was  estaljlished  in  1  )57.  Its  original  $200  share  now  sells 
for  $.320.  In  dividends  and  l)onusos  its  rate  of  interest  now 
averages  twelve  per  cent,  per  annum.  Its  ca[)ital  is  £00, 000. 
Both  banks  have  been  conducted  with  great  skill  and  prudence. 
Neither  engages  in  any  speculative  business,  all  transactions 
being  of  the  safe  and  solid  order. 

The  following  newspapers  are  published  in  St.  John's  :  — 


The  Royal  Gazette — weekly. 

The  Patriot —  weekly. 

The  Times  —  bi-.veekly. 

The  Newfoundlander —  bi-weekly. 

The  Advocate  —  bi-weekly. 

The  Evening  Telegram  —  daily. 

The  Evening  Mercur}'  —  daily. 


¥ 


In  addition  there  are  two  papers  published  elsewhere :  — 

The  Harbor  Grace  Standard — weekly. 
The  Twillingate  Sun  —  weekly. 

The  prospectus  of  a  new  paper  —  "Our  Country" — has  been 
issued. 


:•  cent,  per 
3iity- seven 
share  now 
inendinent 
and   note 

nstitution. 

now  sells 
erest  now 

£50,000. 
prudence, 
ansactions 


i*' 


tfii 


I's: 


APPENDICES 


re: 


-has  been 


APPENDICES. 


AITEXDIX  I. 


PRE-CABOTIAN   DISCOVERY  OF  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

It  is  uow  geuerall}'  udraitted  by  the  highest  authorities  that,  iiefuly 
five  hundred  ^"^ars  before  the  time  of  Columbus,  the  ScandiiKiviaiis 
knew  aud  visited  the  coast  of  America.  The  investigations  of  the 
Royal  Society  of  Northern  Antiquarians,  at  Copenhagen,  among 
Danish,  Norwegian,  aud  Icelandi  in,  i.uscripts,  the  results  of  which 
were  published  in  1837,  leave  littt-  aoubt  on  this  point.  As  early 
as  8G1  the  Norwegians  discovered  Iceland,  and  twelve  years  later 
took  possession  of  the  island  and  formed  permanent  settlements. 
These  enterprising  sailors  followed  up  their  discoveries  from  Iceland, 
aud,  about  the  close  of  the  ninth  century,  Gnnbiorn  discovered 
Greenland,  where,  in  985,  Eric  the  Red,  another  Icelander,  founded 
two  colonies.  From  Greenland  some  of  their  ships,  l)eing  driven 
a,way  westward  by  contrary  winds,  reached  an  island  wliicli  they 
named  Estotiland,  and  a  country  which  they  called  Drogio.  The 
news  of  this  discovery  fired  the  heart  of  Lief,  son  of  Eric  the  Red, 
who,  about  the  year  lOUO,  set  out  to  exi)lore  the  nc!w  country. 
The  countries  which  the.se  bold  navigators  discovered  thi'V  named 
Great  and  Little  Ilelluland  (Slateland),  which  are  believed  to  have 
boon  Labrador  and  Newfoundland ;  Markland  or  AVoodlaud,  wliich 
was  proljably  Nova  Scotia  or  Lower  Canada  ;  and  Vinland,  so  named 
fro;n  the  wild  grapes  growing  there,  Avhich  uas  been  laiil  down  as  the 
northern  part  of  Rhoile  Island,  where  the  wild  grapes  are  still  abun- 
dant. For  the  same  reason,  the  early  English  settlers  nanu'd  part  of 
the  coastland  Martha's  Vineyard.  Remains  of  a  Scandinavian  stoi»c 
building  ha*»beeu  discovered  near  Newport,  Rhodt;  Island. 

The  Icelandic  Sagas  which  narrate  these  diseoveries  nvr.  now  re- 
garded by  scholars  as  genuine  historic  documents.  'I'hey  mention 
particularly  Thorliuu  Karl.'ifoue,  as  the  great  leader  who,  from  10U7 

(409) 


■■J 


;,i !.. 


■i 


t 


410 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


to  1010,  was  engaged  in  exploration,  and  who,  a  year  later,  sailed 
from  leeliind  to  America.  A  later  aecoiint  reitresents  NewfouiulUiud 
as  having  been  visited  by  two  Icelandic  missionaries,  Odall)rand  and 
Tiiorwald  llelgason,  in   1285. 

These  accounts  render  it  certain  that,  centuries  before  Columbus 
and  Cabot,  the  Scandinavians  visited  America  ;  a  fact,  however,  which 
was  not  knowu  to  these  great  navigators. 


APPENDIX  ir. 


LIST   OF   GOVERNORS   OF   NEWFOUNDLAND. 


1721). 

Captain  Osborne,  R.N. 

1781. 

Captain  Clinton. 

1 734. 

Captain  Lord  Viscount  Muskery 

17;}7. 

Captain  Vanburgh. 

1740. 

Captain  Lord  G.  Graham. 

1741. 

Captain  lion.  J.  Byng. 

1744. 

Captain  Sir  C.  Harvey. 

1740. 

Captain  Lord  Rodway. 

1750. 

Captain  Drake. 

175.3. 

Captain  llonfoy. 

1755. 

Captain  Dorril. 

1757. 

Captain  Edwards. 

17G0. 

Captain  Webb. 

17G1. 

Captain  Grov'es. 

17G4. 

Captain  Palliser. 

17G9. 

Captain  Hon.  J.  Byron. 

1772. 

Commodore  Molyneux. 

1775. 

Commodore  Duff. 

1776. 

Admiral  INIontague. 

1770. 

Admiral  Edwards. 

1782. 

Atlmiral  Campbell. 

i78(;. 

Admiral  Elliot. 

178'J. 

Admiral  Bilbauke. 

17'J4. 

Admiral  Sir  J.  Wallace. 

1797. 

Admiral  Waldegrave. 

18('0. 

Admiral  Pole. 

1802. 

Admiral  Gambier. 

1804. 

Admiral  Sir  E.  Gowcr. 

APPENDIX. 


411 


1807.  Admiral  IloUoway. 

I.SIO.  Adiniriil  Sir  J.  Duckworth. 

ISl.'].  Admiral  Sir  J.  Keats. 

1«16.  Admiral  Pickmore. 

181.S,  Admiral  Sir  C.  Hamilton. 

\>^'2'>.  Captain  Sir  T.  Cochrane. 

1H;34.  Captain  Prescott. 

1841.  Major-General  Sir  J.  Harvey. 

1847.  Licntenant-Colonel  Sir  J.  G.  Le  Marchant. 

18o2.  Ker  Raillie  Hamilton. 

l«o;j.  C.  H.  Darling. 

18r»7.  Sir  Alexander  Bannerman, 

18G4.  Anthony  INIusgrave. 

18(j9.  Colonel  Sir  Stephen  J.  Hill,  K.C.M.G.,  C.B. 

1876.  Sir  John  H.  Glover,  G.C.M.G. 

1881.  Sir  Henry  Fitzhardinge  Maxso,  K.C.M.G. 


APPENDIX   III. 

The  following  is  a  statement  of  the  Newfoundland  Fisheries,  on  an 
average  of  the  years  named  :  taken  from  the  returns  of  the  Admirals 
who  commanded  on  that  station  :  — 


n 


Average  of 
Years. 


1699-1701 
1714-16  . 
1749-51  . 
1764-74  . 
17S4-92    . 


a 

^ 

Si 

i? 

^ 

X 

CJ 

m 

a: 

O 

=  tt  J 

0 

U, 

So 

a.^ 

2  . 

■/. 

a   , 

=  ■53 

p. 

a 

0  . 

"o-at 

?T- 

-1^ 

<4M 

-  2 

c  S'-^ 

<M 

•  asi 

?   tjn 

c 

-  =< 

0  5 

0 

1-3 

■B-tu 

Z  C^ 

■/.  ~ 

t.-= 

~  a 

^  -  " 

s—. 

o 
192 

B^ 

'■A^- 

'a'^ 

il 

=  s?. 

t-^ 

1,049 

7,991 

4,026 

1,314 

216,320 

154,370 

161 

9,19S 

2,119 

982 

97,730 

102,363 

891 

2S8 

S3,512 

4,108 

3,149 

1,370 

432,318 

422,116 

1,308 

2,532 

516 

40,091 

&,4;ir) 

6,441 

2,163 

626,276 

524,296 

5,146 

2,882 

480 

48,950 

4,422 

4,617 

2,258 

637,955 

022,108 

2,974 

2,3r. 

.  =  a-  =  ai 
:Bac.5 


3,506 

3,501 

5,855 

12,340 

15,253 


A  true  C'ipy,  taken  from  the  Admirals'  returns  iu  this  Office. 

(!^i«ned)  CiKOUGE  CHALMEUS, 

CItiff  Clerk  CoiiuninsioHers  CommtrcUtl  Trade. 
OrricE  OF  THE  Committee  of  Privy  Col-nxil  fou  Trade,  ) 
■SVlliTEHALL,  19th  Mareh,  1873.  J 


412 


NE  WFO  UXDLAND. 


APPENDIX  IV 

TiiK  following  statistics,  sh<j\vin^-  tlio  extent  and  present  value  of 
the  Newfoumlland  Fisiieries,  wvw  drawn  up  hy  the  Rev.  ^F.  llarvey, 
at  the  request  (jf  Sir  V.  \\.  C'arttT,  A<hninistrator  of  the  novciiiiiicnt. 
They  were  for  ust'  in  eonneetion  witli  the  Xewfoundlnnd  I)e[»:iituient 
iu  the  Fisheries  Exhil)ition,  London,  1883,  and  appear  in  the  eala- 
loKue  of  that  Exhibition  :  — 


exti:nt  and  value  of  the  Newfoundland  fisiikkiks. 

Kxtelit. 

The  coast  line  of  Newfoundland,  followin;^  the  sinuosities  of  the  various  Imya, 
is  two  thousand  miles  in  ext  'nt.  The  tisliinir-irrounds  are  found,  at  intervals, 
all  along  this  extent  of  eoast;  and  tishing  rjperatioiis  are  carrieil  on,  liy  the 
inhahitants,  in  the  hays  and  around  the  entire  shores  of  the  I>land.  Durinif 
the  summer,  large  nunilx'is  of  Newfoundland  fishermen  resort  to  the  Atlantie 
coast  of  Labrador,  returning  in  Oetober  of  ca(.'li  year.  Their  operations  now 
extend  as  far  north  as  Cape  Mugford  on  that  coast.  The  extent  of  coast  as  far 
north  as  Nam  is  i5()0  miles. 


'. 


I  Jit 


Present  Value  of  the  K'ewfuuuillaud  Fisheries. 

Tin;   con-FisHF.nT. 

The  principal  commercial  fishes  taken  from  the  waters  around  Newfoundland 
and  Labrador  are  the  Cod,  the  Seal,  the  Herring,  the  Salmon,  and  the  Lobster. 
The  (jiiuntities  of  other  fish  taken  are  too  small  to  render  them  of  ocMiiUiercial 
importance.  The  Cod-Fishery  is  by  far  tlie  most  important,  its  products  averag- 
ing in  value  three-fourths  of  the  entire  returns  of  the  tislieries. 

Statement  showing  the  Values  of  the  Cud-Fishery  Products  for  the  years  uanied. 


Year. 
1880 
1881 
1882 


Viiluo  of  Coil-Kishcry 

rroducts  ICxiiiil-ti'U. 

.     .'Si:.,;i0!»,4s-t 

5.542.570 
5,!)78,<)(i8 


$1G,830,728 
1,272,000 


Fish  consumed  iu 

till'  ( 'dloiiy. 

!s40S,000 

384,000 

480,000 

$1,272,000 


Total  value  in  tlirce  years       .   .SlS.]i)2,72S,  or  £;),771,402  Sfj. 

Average  annual  value  of  the  products  of  the  Cod-Fishery  for  the  last  three 
years,  §0,034,242,  or  £1,257,134  stg. 


iu 


ArVENDIX. 


413 


Tlic  folli)\vin;^  table  shows  tlio  viiTuo  tif  the  Corlflsh  taki'ii  tiy  tho  Frciu-li  on 
tliat  jiiivtiou  of  the  Newfoundl.ind  coast  over  wliieh  their  fishing  privileges 
extend,  and  is  exclusive  of  their  Bank  Fisheriis  :  — 


Year. 
1880  . 
18S1  . 
1882  . 

Average  annual  value 


Vftliio. 
8250,920 

;i42.r.88 

244.800 
.S27!),4;i0,  or  £r)S,2ir,  stg. 


Tho  products  of  the  Cod-Fishery  above  referred  to  include  the  Dried  ('odfi>h 
ex])orted,  the  common  Cod  '  >il,  the  refined  Cod-Liver  Oil.  the  roes  I'Xported  for 
hait  in  tlie  Sardine-Fishery,  and  the  dregs.  The  Cod  Oil  is  chiefly  exported  to 
liritain,  wliere  it  is  found  peculi  irly  valiiai)le  in  dri'ssing  leather.  Tiie  refined 
Cod-Liver  Oil  is  used  for  medicinal  jjurposes. 

The  following  table  shows  the  quantities  and  value  of  these  products, 
respectively,  for  the  years  named  :  — 


Dried  Codfish 

Cod  Oil 

Kefined  Cod-Liver  Oil 


1880. 

Qimntltic'B. 
1,41!),.J03  qntls. 
4,483  tuns. 
172     " 


Vnlue. 
$4,82G,;517 
448,300 
30,i)C0 


Dried  Codfish 

Cod  Oil 

Eefined  Cod-Liver  Oil 


Dried  Cv>Jfish 

Cod  Oil 

Ketined  Cod-Liver  Oil 


1,583,132  qntls. 
4,127  tuns. 
144      " 

18N2. 

1,403,139  qntls. 
4,254  tuns. 
147      " 


$5     ;(;,022 

i  15,710 

25,920 

$5,853,750 

493,404 

28,224 


y 


SEAL    FISHERY. 

The  Seals  are  taken  by  llie  crews  of  steamers  and  sailing-vessels  on  the  ice- 
fields ofl"  the  north-cast  coast  of  the  Island  and  in  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence, 
during  the  months  of  March  and  April. 

Tlic  following  table  shows  tlie  number  of  Seals  taken  and  their  value,  in  the 
years  named :  — 


Year 
1877 

1878 
1881 


XiimlxT  of  SealH. 
451.078 
409,058 
447,903 


Value. 
.«il,110.;!00 
1,100,508 
957,700 


1,309,239  $3,080,088,  or  £641,810  stg. 

Average  number  of  Seals  taken  in  three  years,  430,413. 
Average  annual  value  of  Seals  taken  in  three  years,  $1,020,890,  or  £213,937  stg. 


^f^t. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


// 


{^/ 


/. 


L/j 


•^ 


1.0 


I.I 


11.25 


|^|28    |2.5 

■50   "^^     MSB 

1^    11112.2 


lU 


1^    III  2.0 


1.8 


1.4    IIIIII.6 


^l 


'/ 


% 


Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  873-4503 


414 


NE  WFO  UNDLAND. 


The  products  of  the  Seal  Fishery  include  the  skins  and  oil.  Tho  t'omicr  :ux' 
exported  in  a  salted  state  to  Britain,  where  they  are  tanned  or  used  by  furriers. 
The  Seal  Oil,  extracted  by  steam  process,  is  sent  to  Britain,  where  it  is  larjiely 
used  in  coal  mines,  for  illumination ;  also  in  light-houses.  It  is  also  used  in  the 
manufacture  of  the  finer  kinds  of  soap. 

The  following  table  shows  their  respective  quantities  and  values  in  the  years 
named :  — 

XH77. 

ValiiP. 

Seal  Skins     .         .         .  451,078  S3G1,342 


Seal  Oil 

Seal  Skins 
Seal  Oil 


Seal  Skins 
Seal  Oil 


6,081  tuns. 

1878. 

409,058 
5,!)02  tuns. 

1881. 

447,90.1 
4,773  tuns. 


751,044 

.S:.'8r,,70O 
719,040 

$403,112 
553,008 


niCUUIXG     FISIIKUY. 

The  chief  centres  of  the    Iltrrini^-Fishery  are  Labrador,  Bonne    Bay,  Bay 
of  Islands,  St.  George's  Bay,  and  Fortune  Bay. 

Table  showing  the  value  of  Herrings  exported  in  the  years  named  :  — 


Year. 

1880 
1881 

1882 


Vnluo  of  Ilerriugg 
K.xportcd. 

.      .$220,940 

2(;!i,5,->(; 

2l'8,l28 


Average  annual  value  of  Herrings  exported  in 
three  years 

Average  annual  value  of  Herring  taken  by  New- 
foundliind  fishermen  and  sold  to  the  French 
and  Americans  as  bait  or  for  food     . 

Average  annual  value  of  Herrings  consumed  in 
tlie  colony  ....... 


■S724,030 
e2il,543 

100,000 
240,000 


Average  annual  value  of  tlio  Herring-Fishery,         .'5581,543,  or    £121,155   stg. 

SALMON     FISIIKUY. 

Table  showing  the  value  of  Salmon  exported  in  tlie  years  named :  — 


Year. 
1880 
1881 
1882 


Valuo  of  Salmon 
Kx  ported. 

$138,904 

80,348 

124,204 


Average  annual  valuo  in  three  years 


$343,516 

$114,505,    or    £23,855    stg. 


APPEXDIS. 


415 


J5   stg. 


LOBSTER     FISHEKY. 

Table  showing  the  value  of  Lobsters  exporteil  in  the  years  named  :  — 


Year. 
1880 

1881 
1882 


Value  of  Lobeters  exported.  Quantities,  lbs. 

.    $95,712  1,124,580 

.    111,408  1,34C),240 

.     105,432  1,2(!5,224 


$312,552  3,730,044 

Average   anrual  value  of  Lobsters   exported   in   three  years,   $104,184,  or 
£21,705  stg. 
Average  quantity  taken  in  three  years,  1,245,348  lbs. 
Estimated  annual  value  of  all  other  fish  taken,  $40,000. 


Cod-Fishery    . 
Seal-Fishery   . 
Herring-Fishery 
Salmon-Fishery 
Lobster-Fishery 
All  other  Fish 


RECAPITULATION. 

Average  annual  value. 
,  Sfi,034,242 
.     1,026,896 
681,543 
114,505 
104,184 
40,000 


Total    average   value    annually   of  the 
Fisheries 


$7,901,370,  or  £1,646,118  stg. 


COUNTRIES  TO  WHICH  THE  FISH   ARE  EXPORTED. 

The  countries  to  which  the  bulk  of  the  dried  Codfisli  is  exfjorted  are  the 
United  Kingdom,  Brazil,  Portugal,  Spain,  the  United  States,  Italy,  Spanisli  and 
British  West  Indies,  and  tiie  Dominion  of  Canada.  The  products  of  the  Seal- 
Fisliery  are  sent  almost  exclusively  to  the  United  Kingdom.  Lobsters  are 
exported  to  Britain  and  Herrings  cliiefly  to  Canada  and  the  United  States. 

EXPORTS. 

The  following  table  shows  the  total  value  of  the  Exports  of  the  Colony  for 
the  years  named :  — 


Year. 

1880 
1881 
1882 


Value. 
$7, 13 1,095 


Average  value  of  Exports  for  three  years 


7,648.574 
•8,228,291 

$7,669,320,  or  £1,597,775  stg. 


In  the  foregoing  Exports  are  included  quantities  of  Copper  Ore  exported,  the 
value  of  which  was  as  follows  :  — 

Year.  Value  of  Copper  Ore. 

1880 $510, '.100 

1881 596,068 


5    stg. 


1882 

Average  annual  value  of  Copper  Ore  exported 
in  the  three  years 


382,020 


$490,329,  or  £103,402  stg. 


^ 


M 


ill 


41G 


NE  WFO  UXDLAND. 


SHIPPING. 

The  registered  tonnage  of  the  colony  at  present  is  1,895  vessels,  having  a 
tonnage  of  89,0.55  tons,  of  these  1,800  are  sailing-vessels  and  29  are  steamers. 
In  addition,  00  vessels  were  engaged  in  1882  in  the  foreign  carrying  trade, 
wliicli,  tliough  owned  in  Newfoundland,  were  registered  in  Britain. 

The  number  of  sailing-vessels  entered  at  the  various  ports  in  1882  was  1.300; 
their  tonnage  100,887  tons;  their  crews  numbered  7,840.  The  number  of  sail- 
ing-vessels cleared  at  the  various  ports  in  1882  was  1,107;  their  toumigo 
14;?, 720;  their  crews  numbered  7,200. 

The  number  of  steamers  entered  at  the  various  ports  in  1882  was  101 ;  their 
toiuiagi!  l.")(),107;  their  crews  numbered  0,758.  The  number  of  steamers 
cleared  at  the  various  ports  in  1882  was  170;  their  tonnage  147,784;  their  crews 
numbered  0,508. 

NUMBEil  OF   FISHERMEN. 

According  to  the  census  of  1874  there  were  45.845  persons  employed  in  fish- 
ing and  curing  fish.  In  1883  there  are  about  52.550  thus  employed,  allowing  for 
the  increase  of  jjopulation.  The  numt)er  of  able-bodied  fishermen  in  the  colony 
in   1874  WHS  2r,:i77;  there  are  now  about  ;'0,2;)8. 

A  bounty  of  three  dollars  i)er  ton  is  granted  to  all  vessels  over  fifteen  tons 
built  in  the  colony. 

Fishermen  have  a  first  lien  on  the  products  of  each  season's  fishing  operations 
for  wages  or  shares. 

The  following  table  shows  the  extent  and  value  of  the  French  Fisheries  on 
the  Banks  and  on  the  coast  of  Newfoundland  in  the  years  named :  — 


Yoar.  Men.    No.  of  VcbbcIs.    Tonnage. 

1S78         7,858  181  30,350 

1879        7,168  177  27,805 


QntlH.  (if  CiKlfiHh  taken.         Value. 

321,411     £285,07:^  stg. 
3G9,C28      279,097  " 


ArPENDIX   V. 


THE  NEW   GR.VVING-DOCK,   ST.   JOHN'S   HARBOR. 

DuuiN'f  the  last  session  of  the  Legislature  —  that  of  1883  —  an 
Aft  was  passed  making  some  important  changes  in  the  construction 
of  the  new  graving-dock.  The  Act  of  1882.  providing  for  the  con- 
struction of  a  dock,  was  abrogated,  and  a  new  Act,  to  secure  the 
construction  of  a  lirst-chiss  Simpson's  Jmi)roved  Dry  Dock,  was 
passed.  Two  commissioners  had  been  appointed  to  examine  and 
report  on  the  American  System  of  Dry  Docks.  The  evidence 
collected  by  them  appeared  to  establish  conclusively  the  superiority 
of  Simpson's  Improved  Wooden  Docks  over  those  built  of  stone,  in 
the  cold  climate  of  North  America.     These  wooden  docks  cost  from 


APPEXDLV. 


417 


33  to  50  per  cent,  less  than  stone  clocks,  and  can  be  constructed  in 
oue-third  or  one-fourth  the  time  required  for  the  erection  of  the 
latter.  As  regards  eflicioncy  and  durability,  the  wooden  docks  are 
found  to  i)resent  important  advantages  over  the  stone  docks,  in  greater 
accessil)ility,  better  facilities  for  storing  and  repairing  vessels,  better 
distril)ution  of  light  and  air,  and  in  the  greater  safety  and  comfort 
afforded  the  workmen  in  freezing  weather,  while  the  only  paits  subject 
to  decay  are  those  above  the  tide-water,  which  can  be  renewed  at  a 
small  cost.  A  lengthened  trial  of  the  .Simpson  Wooden  Docks,  in 
the  United  States,  appeared,  on  the  evidence  supplied  by  the  highest 
authorities,  to  have  established  their  superiority  over  stone  structures. 

Influenced  by  these  considerations,  the  Government  and  Legislature 
of  Newfoundland  laid  aside  the  first  project  for  the  erection  of  a 
stone  dock,  which  would  have  required  at  least  seven  or  eight  years 
lor  its  construction,  and  entered  into  a  contract  with  Messrs.  J.  E. 
Shnpson  and  Sons,  of  New  York,  for  the  construction  of  one  of  their 
Improved  Wooden  Docks,  of  the  same  dimensions  as  the  projected 
stone  dock  of  1882. 

The  extreme  length  of  this  dock  is  to  be  GOO  feet ;  the  extreme 
breadth  132  feet  4  inches;  the  draught  of  water  25  feet  over  gate 
sill,  at  high  water.  This  will  be  suflicient  to  admit  the  largest  ocean 
stcjimer  afloat  except  the  "■  Great  Eastern."  The  dock  is  to  be  com- 
pleted, with  all  piers,  appliances,  etc.,  and  handed  over  to  Goveni- 
meiit  in  working  order,  within  two  years  from  the  commencement  of 
the  work.  The  site  is  provided  by  Government  at  River  Head',  the 
western  end  of  the  harbor. 

The  [)rice  to  be  paid  to  the  contractors  is  0550,000.  When  com- 
pleteil  the  dock  is  to  be  leased  to  the  contractors  at  $15,000  per 
annum.  The  interest  on  the  outlay  will  be  $24,000  i)er  annum  ;  so 
that  only  $0,000  per  annum  will  have  to  be  paid  out  of  the  public 
funds  for  the  first  ten  years,  after  which,  in  all  proljaliility,  the 
revenue  derived  from  the  dock  will  pay  the  whole  interest.  The 
work  was  commenced  in  May,  1883,  and  has  l)een  carried  on  with 
such  energy  that  it  is  expected  it  will  be  completed  l>y  the  close 
of  1884. 


«l 


n 


418 


XEWFOl'XDLAXD. 


APPENDIX   VI. 


[On  Tuesday  morning,  the  Gth  December,  1867,  the  "  Queen  of 
Swansea,"  having  on  board  mail  and  passengers  for  the  mining  set- 
tlement at  Tilt  Cove,  Notre  Dame  Hay,  N.f.,  sailed  from  St.  Joint's. 
As  night  closed  in  a  terrilic  gale  arose,  and  the  bravo  little  vessel, 
after  hoins  of  combat  with  wind  and  waves,  was  driven  one  hundred 
and  sixty  miles  to  sea.  After  seven  days  of  the  most  terrible 
hardship  the  vessel  was  east  upon  the  rocks  on  Gull  Island,  near 
Ca|)e  St.  .Tohn,  the  northern  headland  of  Notre  Dame  Bay.  All  the 
crew  ami  passengers  landed  safely  on  this  desolate  and  barren 
island.  Three  of  the  crew  and  one  of  the  passengers  returned  to  the 
vessel  to  procure  food.  While  on  board  the  vessel  drifted  to  sea, 
and  tlie  men  were  never  heard  of  after.  After  days  of  untold  sutfer- 
ing  from  hunger,  thirst,  and  cold,  the  awful  alternative  was  at  last 
resorted  to  —  of  drawing  lots  to  see  who  should  be  sacrificed  as  food. 
The  lot  fell  to  one  of  the  unfortunate  ladies,  —  there  were  two  among 
the  passengers,  —  when  her  brother,  wlio  was  one  of  the  party,  in- 
stantly offered  himself  in  her  stead.  The  note-book  of  this  brav(! 
and  gallant  young  man,  containing  an  account  of  this  terril)le  moment, 
has  been  unfcntunately  lost  from  among  the  papers.  Dr.  F.  Dowsloy, 
who  had  been  appointed  to  the  medical  staff  at  Tilt  Cove  mine,  and 
who  was  among  the  passengers,  and,  consequently,  perished  with  the 
rest,  tells  in  the  following  letters  the  sufferings  endured  by  him  and 
his  unfortunate  associates  until  death  mercifully  released  them.  A 
most  singular  Incident  in  this  terrible  tragedy  is  the  means  by  whicii 
the  discovery  of  the  remains  were  found.  In  April  of  the  following 
spring,  while  a  man  and  boy  were  gunning  in  the  direction  of  the 
island,  their  attention  was  attracted  to  the  peculiar  movements  of  a 
bird  which  kept  flying  from  the  island  toward  thera,  and  then  back 
again  to  the  island.  At  last,  coming  within  gun-shot,  the  man  fired, 
when  the  bird  flew  toward  the  island  and  fell.  On  landing  to  secure 
it,  what  must  have  been  their  horror  to  find  beside  it  the  skdetons 
of  two  human  beings !  Near  1)y,  covered  by  n  piece  of  old  canvas, 
locked  in  each  other's  arms,  probal)ly  for  the  sake  of  the  temporary 
warmth  t'.nis  afforded,  were  found  the  frozen  bodies  of  the  reuiaindi'r 
of  the  party.  On  further  search  the  following  letters,  written  by 
Dr.  Dowsley  and  Capt.  Owens,  in  their  note-books,  were  also 
found.  A  monument  has  been  erected  on  the  island  to  tlieir 
memory.] 


APPEND  I  A'. 


419 


[first  letter.] 

Gull  Island,  off  Cape  John, 

Tuesday,  Dec.  17,  '07. 

Mv  Dakling  Makoauet  :  —  As  you  are  aware,  we  left  St.  .lolin's 
oil  Tuesday  inornin<f,  the  6th  iust.  On  the  evening  of  that  chiy  a 
dreadful  gale  eaiue  on,  which  lastcid  about  two  or  three  days.  We  were 
driven  off  about  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles  to  si'a.  I  thought  every 
moment  the  vessel  would  be  upset  or  swamped  ;  but  it  ai)pt'ar.s  she 
was  spared  a  little  longer  for  a  similar  fate.  We  ran  into  a  gulch  on 
the  Island  on  the  morning  of  Tuesday,  the  12tli  inst.,  altout  six 
o'clock,  when  the  sea  was  raging  and  running  momitains  higii.  She 
only  remained  there  al)out  ten  or  lifteen  minutes,  which  was  not  snlli- 
cient  time  for  all  hands  to  save  themselves.  All  were  saved  w  ith  tlif 
exception  of  two  of  the  crew,  Duggan,  the  pilot,  and  MoUowney's 
step-brother.  We  were  dragged  ui)  tiie  clifT  by  means  of  a  roite  tied 
round  our  waists.  Not  one  of  us  saved  a  single  thing  l)ut  as  we  sttxjd, 
not  even  a  bit  of  bread  ;  this  is  our  lifth  day,  and  we  have  not  had  a 
bit  or  sup,  not  even  a  drink  of  water,  there  being  no  such  thing  on 
the  island.  It  is  void  of  everything  that  would  give  us  comfort.  It 
is  so  barren  and  l)leak  that  we  cannot  get  wood  to  make  a  fire  to  warni 
us.  Our  bed  is  on  the  cold  rocks,  with  a  piece  of  canvas,  full  of  mud, 
to  cover  us.  You  may  fancy  what  my  sufferings  are  and  have  bi-cn. 
You  know  I  was  never  very  strong  or  robust.  IMy  feet  are  all  swollen, 
and  I  am  getting  very  weak.  I  expect  that,  if  Providence  does  not 
send  a  vessel  along  this  way  to-day,  or  to-morrow,  at  the  farthest. 
Borne  of  us  will  be  no  more,  and  I  very  much  fear  I  shall  be  tlie  Hist 
victim  ;  if  so,  you  will  not  have  the  gratitication  of  getting  my  body,  as 
they  will  make  use  of  it  for  food.  I  am  famishing  with  the  thirst.  I 
would  give  the  money  I  took  with  me,  yes  !  all  I  ever  saw,  for  one 
drink  of  water.  If  I  had  plenty  of  water  I  know  I  should  live  much 
longer.  I  feel  a  dreadful  feverish  thirst,  and  no  means  of  relieving  it. 
Oh!  is  it  not  a  hard  case  that  I  cannot  even  get  a  driuk  of  wat(!r? 
Oh  !  did  I  ever  think  my  life  would  end  in  this  way,  to  be  cast  away 
on  a  barren  rock  in  the  middle  of  the  ocean,  and  there;  to  perish  with 
cold,  hunger,  and  thirst,  and  m}'  tiones  to  be  bleached  by  the  winter's 
frost  and  the  summer's  sun,  and  be  food  for  the  wild  fowls  !  Oil  I  is 
it  not  sad  to  think  of  this,  and  such  a  little  thing  would  save  us  I  Wi; 
are  only  eight  miles  from  Shoe  Cove,  where  we  wouM  be  received 
with  open  arms.     Now,  my  darling  Margaret,  as  I  plainly  see  that  in 


420 


^V^"  WFO  VXD  LA  XI). 


a  few  lioiirs  I  must  appear  hofore  my  God,  I  wish  to  say  a  fow  words 
ahoiit  your  future  prosjiccts.     I  think  the  l)o.st  phice  for  you  1o  jjo 

would  he  till'  States,  if  you  ean  possiJ)ly  arraii<];e  matters.     Sec 

wlieii  lie  arrives  ill  tlie  sjiriiig,  tell  liiiiiyour  iiitoiitions.  I  believe  lie  is 
a  veiy  good,  humane  man,  and  will,  no  douht.  doevorythinc;  that  is  fair 
and  in  his  power  for  you.  [Here  the  writer  instructs  his  wife,  in 
loving  terms,  in  regard  to  private  and  personal  matters.]  Whilst  I 
am  writing  this,  under  our  little  hit  of  canvas,  I  am  shivering  wiili 
weakness,  and  cold  from  head  to  foot.  I  don't  know  how  I  iiuve 
written  what  I  have,  but  this  I  can  say,  the  facts  are  worse  than  wiiat 
I  have  named.  Give  my  love  to  my  darling  cliihh-en  and  tell  tliem 
U)  think  often  of  iny  sad  fate.  Tell  them  I  leave  it  as  my  dying  reciuest 
to  be  kind  and  obedient  to  you,  and  to  be  advised  by  you  in  everything. 
Oh  !  my  darling,  you  will  feel,  you  will  pity  me  when  you  hear  of  my 
sad  fate.  Oh,  do,  and  pray  for  me  with  the  children  incessantly  I 
Again  I  would  advise  3'ou  to  go  to  the  States,  if  you  can  disjxise  of 
the  proiierty,  and  arrange  other  matters.  I  cannot  see  what  you  can 
do  here.  1  must  now  conclude,  my  darling,  as  I  am  nnaltle  to  write 
more.  Embrace  my  darling  children,  and  tell  them  to  be  obliging  and 
kind  to  each  other,  for  without  this  they  cannot  expect  to  prosper. 
Tell  them  their  unfortunate,  unhappy  father  leaves  them  his  lilessing. 

Should  our  fate  be  known  iiefore  the  spring,  if  would  come 

around  he  would  be  able  to  get  my  body  or  bones,  which  I  would  like 
to  have  laid  in  Ik'lvedere.  If  I  had  you,  or,  at  least,  if  I  were  with 
you  and  my  dear  children,  and  had  the  clergyman,  I  don't  think  I 
should  fear  death  half  so  much.  I  must  now,  my  darling,  take  my 
last  farewell  of  3'ou  in  this  world.  IMay  we  meet  and  enjoy  one 
another  where  there  is  no  orrow,  no  trouble,  no  aftiictious. 
I  leave  you  my  love,  my  blessing. 

Your  loving,  but  unfortunate  husband, 

F.   DOWSLEY. 


[SECOXD  LETTER.] 

Wednesday,  Dec.  18th,  1807. 

I  have  been  out  to  sec  if  there  might  be  any  chance  of  a  rescue  : 
but  no  such  thing.  I  am  almost  mad  with  the  thirst ;  I  would  give 
all  I  ever  saw  for  one  diink  of  water,  but  I  shall  never  get  it.  We 
are  all  wet  and  frozen.  I  am  now  going  under  the  canvas  to  lie  down 
and  die.     ^lay  God  pity  and  have  mercy  on  my  soul  I 


APPEXDIX. 


421 


[Tiiiiiit  i.trrrKi!.] 

Gli.l  Island,  off  Cape  John,  Dec.  2ltli. 

My  Darlin'g  ]\lAi!<iAUKT :  —  "NVc  are  still  alive,  and  only  llial. 
We  have  had  ik^  relief  ever  since,  nor  any  siifiis  of  it.  We  have  not 
tasted  a  bit  of  food  of  any  kind  with  the  exception  of  the  dirty  snow- 
water that  melts  around  and  under  otn*  feet,  which  we  are  very  <rlad 
to  devour.  The  place  we  are  sheltered  in.  if  I  can  call  it  a  shelter, 
is  \\\)  to  our  ankles  in  water.  Oh  !  what  a  sad  Christmas-eve  and 
Christ nias-day  it  is  for  me  I  I  tiiink  I  can  see  you  makinj^  the  swi-et- 
bread  and  prei)arin<;  everythin<j;  eonifortahi.  !'or  to-morrow.  My  feet 
were  very  painful  last  night ;  I  was  in  coni[)lete  agony  with  them. 
My  clothes  are  completely  saturated.  Oh  !  I  never  knew  how  to 
appreciate  the  comforts  of  a  lunne  or  a  In-d  until  now.  If  I  were 
home,  and  to  have  you  and  the  children  beside  me.  and  have  the 
clergyman,  I  think  the  trial  would  l)e  small  compared  to  what  it  is 
now;  but  we  shall  never  see  one  anotiier  again  in  this  world.  I  had 
no  idea  we  should  have  lasted  so  long.  Our  case  is  now  ho|)eliss  ; 
there  is  no  hojje  for  a  deliverance.     My  sulfering  has  liei-n  bevijud 

description  since  1  landed  on  this  Itarren  rock Oil  I   how  I 

dread —  I  would  write  more,  but  feel  unalile.  Oh!  my  darling,  if  1 
could  but  once  see  you  and  the  children  1  would  l)e  satistied.  Eml)race 
them  all  for  me. 

[Here  ftjllow  words  of  lovmg  farewells  to   his  famih'  and   friends, 

requesting  them  to  pray   for  him,  and  he  closes  his  letter  by  signing 

himself 

Your  loving,  l)ut  unhappy  husband, 

F.  DOWSLEY.] 

COPY  OF  NOTES  FOUND  ON   THE   TEWSOX    OF  CAIT.VIX   OWENS. 

No.  1. 
We  left  St.  John's,  N.F.,  on  the  .")th  December,  IHOT,  with  eigiity 
tons  of  stone  ])allast,  almtit  ten  or  twelve  tons  of  general  cargo  and 
lumber,  and  a  mail-bag  full  of  letters,  for  tin-  Union  Mine,  Tilt  Cove. 
When  running  for  (iull  Island,  Cai)e  John,  in  a  snow-sciuall,  and  not 
able  to  see  anything,  even  wiien  on  to[)  of  it.  at  six  o'clock  A.M..  on 
the  I2th  December.  Did  not  save  anytliing  only  this  book  and  l!ie 
ship's  i)apers,  which  are  in  a  tin  case  now  here ;  and  Lord  have  mercy 
on  our  sou)    .    We  shall  all  perish  here  without  food  or  clothes  oi'  lire. 

(Signed)  JOHN    OWENS, 

Master  of  the  ill-fated  "  (Jiieen  of  iSwunsea." 


422 


XE  WFO  UXDLAXI). 


No.  2. 
The  "  Queen  of  Swansea"  got  on  the  rock  of  Gull  Island,  Capo 
John,  N.F.,  in  lat.  49  (leg.  51>  niin.,  and  long.  55  deg.  11  niin.  \V.,oi' 
thereabouts,  on  the  12th  Deccnil)er,  18G7.  Consisting  on  board,  alto- 
gether, seven  Ikuk's  of  the  cicw  and  the  master,  wliioh  was  eight  in 
number  of  the  ship's  company,  and  six  passengers  and  a  pilot,  —  two 
of  the  passengers  being  females ;  altogether  on  board,  fifteen  souls. 
The  cai)tain  and  mate  and  seven  men  and  two  females  land  on  the 
Gull  Island  by  means  of  a  rope  at  six  o'clock  A.M.,  on  the  12th 
December,  1867,  just  as  we  stood,  neither  bread,  nor  eatables,  nor 
clothes.  Boatswain,  pilot,  and  one  of  the  ship's  crew  went  away 
with  the  ship,  and  a  married  man,'  who  was  one  of  the  passengers. 
All  these  four  perished  with  the  ship.  This  is  written  on  the  island 
after  landing,  by  me, 

(Signed)  JOHN   OWENS, 

Master  of  the  ^'■Queen." 


'  Power,  Mullowney's  step-brotlier. 
(Sigued)  L.  N.  G. 


I,  Capo 

W.,ur 
d,  alto- 
ight  in 

—  two 
1  souls. 

on  tlie 
10  12th 
OS,  nor 
t  iiwny 
t'niiors. 

isltind 


S, 
Queen." 


INDEX 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

*'  Across  Newfoundland  with  the 

Governor"         ....  .".24 
Ajjrieiiltiiral     Development,     Ob- 
stacles to 804 

Agricultural  Resources  .         .  305 

Sir  John  Harvey  on  the  .  334 
Agricultural  Returns  .  .  .  338 
Amalgamated  Assembly,  The  .  90 
American  Fisheries,  The  .  .  228 
American      Fishing      Privileges, 

under  the  Treaty  of  Paris  .     79 

American    and    European    Short 

Line  Railway  Company  .  .  103 
Amusements,  Winter  .  .  .  192 
Animals,  Indigenous  .  .  .  193 
Anser  Canadensis  .  .  .  210 
Auriferous  Quartz,  Discovery  of  .  349 
Auroral  Phenomena  .  .  .  Ifi4 
Avalon  ....        25,  20,  113 

Baccalaos 5 

Baccalieu 5 

Bacon,   Lord,   Letters  Patent    to 

and  others 21 

Bait-fishes 241 

Balm  Tree,  The    .         .         .         .312 
Baltimore,  Lord  — 

Letters-Patent  from  James  I.  25 
Claim  of  ....  47 
Bank  Weather  .  .  .  .  IGG 
Banking  Institutions  .  .  .  404 
"Banks,"  The  .  .  .  .239 
Bannerman,  Sir  Alexander,  Polit- 
ical Troubles  under  .  .  .94 
•'  Barrens,"  The  .  .  .  208,  316 
Basaltic  Rocks  of  Labrador         .  293 


TAGB 

Bay  de  Bois  {see  Bay  of  Bulls). 

Bay  of  Islands      .         .         .    137,  318 

Ik'auclerk,  Lord  Vere,  Ropri'scn- 
tations  of,  to  the  Board  of  Trade,     40 

Benevolent  Institutions  .         .     74 

Berry-bearing  Plants  — 

Of  Newfoundland  .         .  200 

Of  Labrador  .         .         .         .298 

Bethuks,  The         .         .         .         .170 
Ethnology  of  .         .         .171 

Efforts  to  Civilize  .  .  .170 
Traces  of  a  Vanished  Nation  .  178 
Peculiarities  and  Customs  .  181 
Personal  Appearance      .         .183 

Bett's  Cove  Mine  ....  345 

Bishopric,  The  first  Cohmial         .  39C 

BoEothic  (see  Bethuks). 

Bueothick  Society,  A       .         .176 

Bonavista      .         .         .        .       4,  138 

Blo-mi-don  Hills,  The  .         .         .318 

Bonnycastle,  Sir  Richard  — 

On  the  Colonists     .         .         .90 
t)n  the  Climate       .         .         .  105 
On      the     Agricultural      Re- 
sources      ....  :'i34 

Boulton,    Chief  Justice,    Charges 
against 88 

Buchan,    Lieutenant,    Expedition 
of 75,  175 

Bulls,  Bay  of        ...         .  l.;3 
French  Attack  on  the  Settle- 
ment of        .         .         .         -05 

Burgeo  Islands      ....   130 

Burin 135 

Burving-places     and    Modes     of 
Burial  of  the  Native  Tribes       .  179 
(425) 


420 


IXDEX. 


PAOB 


Cul'ot,  Jolin  — 

First    Arrival  off  Newfound- 

land    .... 

. 

4 

l'r(ilial)lu       C(Jurso     of 

his 

Voyuf^e 

. 

0 

Lc'ttcrs-Patont     frum     Ilonry 

vn 

. 

7 

(Irattiity  from  the  King  . 

. 

8 

Cabot,  Sol)astian  — 

Socond  Voyage 

. 

G 

Third  Voyage 

. 

8 

His  Death       . 

. 

9 

His  Only  Monninent 

. 

10 

CabotM,  Tile  — 

Letters-Patent    from     Henry 

vir 

. 

3 

Departure  from  Bristol  . 

, 

3 

Calvert,    Sir    George    (see    Balti- 

more, Lord). 

Camphell,  Vice-Admiral  John 

58 

Canoe,  Bethiik 

181 

A  Native 

14G 

Caplin,  Tlie   .... 

241 

Carl)onear     .... 

42, 

140 

Caribou  (see  Keindccr)'. 

Cartier,  Jacijues    . 

11 

Catalina         .... 

13!) 

Ceplialojjoils,  The  Giant 

203 

Cliristian  Brotliers,  The 

3!}3 

Ciiurch  of  Enniand,  The,  Progress 

of 

• 

390 

Climate  of  tlie  Interior. 

, 

145 

Coal,  Worlvable  Seams  of 

, 

3.>(j 

Coal  and    Mineral   Indications 

in 

the  Codroy  Valley      . 

, 

311 

(  oaltii'ld,  A  Promising  . 

, 

317 

Coi'lirane,  Sir  Thomas,  Energy 

of. 

85 

Cod,  Tlie  — 

Its  Haunts 

235 

Its  Food 

237 

General  Habits 

238 

Mode  of  Curing 

242 

Various  Uses 

245 

Mode  of  Capture    . 

245 

Cod-Fisliery,  Tlie  — 

First  Established    . 

, 

11 

First    Admiralty   Jurisdiction 

over     .... 

. 

22 

Government  Legislation,       2!),  31 


PAOB 

Cod-Fishery,  The —  ( Continued. ) 

French  Claims  .  .  .43 
Condition  in  17G3  .  .  .50 
Growtli  of  .  .  .  54,  r>9 
Statistics  of,  in  1790  .  .  (JS 
Progress  of  .  .  .  .  7,^ 
Government  Bounty  .  .  Ki.i 
Breeding  Grounds  of  tlie  Cod,  1 1;{ 
E.xports  of  Codfish  .  .  ^'27 
History  of  .  .  .  .  228 
General  Statistics  .  .  2;'0-234 
Present  Condition  and  Pros- 
pects     233 

Value  of  the  Fishery     .         .  234 
Value    and    Statistics  of    the 

French  Fisheries  .         .  234 

Value      of       the      American 

Fisheries     ....  234 
Comparison  with  Norway  and 

other  Fisher'  js    .         .         .   232 

Labrador  Fishery    .         .         .  29G 

Cod-liver  Oil  ....  244 

Colinet 134 

Colonial  and  Continental  Church 

Society,  The  .         .         .         .392 
Colonization,  First  Attempt  at,  by 

the  English  .  .  .  .12 
Colonization,  French  efforts  at,  20,  32 
Colville,    Lord,    Blockade  of   the 

French  Fleet  by          ...     49 
Commercial  Disasters    .         .         .79 
Conception  Bay     ....   140 
Congregationalism   in  Newfound- 
land     400 

Constitution,  Amendment  of  the,     89 
Convention  between  the   English 

and  French  Governments  .  .  93 
Cook,  Captain  James  — 

Naval  Survey  by    .         .         .  130 
Eclipse  of  the   Sun  observed 

by 13G 

Copiier,  First  Discovery  pf  .         .  315 
Copper  and  Nickel  Ores  exported, 

(Quantities  and  Values  of  .  .  ;'r>9 
Copper  Mines  ....  138 
Coiiper-mining       Industry,      The 

Future  of  the  ....  353 
Cormack,  Mr.  — 

Journey  Across  the  Island     .  142 


IXDEX. 


427 


FAOB 

CJorriiack.  Mr.  —  (Continued. ) 
Mi'itini,'     with     a     Labrador 
Iiilian  ....   145 

roitirciil,  (lasjiard,  Discoveries  of,    11 
(fourts  of  Law       ....  377 

Custoin-IIoiisL',         Establishment 
of  a    .         .         .         .         .         .51 

Customs'  Tariff      .         .         .         .  3GG 

Cuttll'-fisll  — 

Mr.  Harvey's  Discovery  of  a 

New  Species  of  .         .         .   200 
Capture  of  a  .         .         .         .  200 

Darliiifj,  Governor,  Despatch  from 
tile  Secretary  of    State   for  the 
Cok)nies  to         .         .         .         .93 
Darrell's,  Governor,  Proclamation 
atrainst  tlie  Irish         .         .         .     52 

Deer-t'ences 174 

Docks,  Proposed  Construction  of,  lOD 

D()i;s 104 

Drake.  Sir  Francis  .  .  .20 
Duekwortli,    Sir    John    Thomas, 

Activity  and  Intelligence  of       .     74 
Dunravi'U,     Lord,    on     Sport    in 
Newfoundland    .         .         .         .213 

Education  15111,  .Vn  .  .  .  88 
Education  (irants  ....  388 
Educational  Statistics  .  .  .  391 
Electoral  Districts  .         .         .  37G 

E.\ploits  Hivcr       .         .         .        .118 

Captain    Kennedy's    Descrip- 
tion of  the  Grand  Falls       .118 

Tlie  Valley  of  the  .         .         .  320 
Exports.  Statistics  of    .         .    •     .  3(i(i 

Falkland,  Viscount  ...  27 
Fed  1.  r.ishop  ....  39(i 

Ferry  laml      .         .         .  2(1,  133 

Fertility  of  tli"  Codroy  Lands       .  :'.10 
I'V'ndam  (s-i  l\rryhind). 
Financial  Position  .         .         .  ."iflrt 

Fire-stones  .....  17!) 
Fish,  Price  of,  in  1814-lG  .  78,  79 
Fisliery  Higlits,  J)isputc<l  .  .  279 
Fishes,  Tlie  Couunercial  .  .  23G 
Fisliing-Adinirals  .  .  .  35,  3G 
Fishing-Grounds,  Area  ot  tio        .  238 


Fishing-Privileges,  Policy  of  con- 
ceiling,  to  Foreigners 

Fishing-Season       .... 

Flowering  Plants  and  Ferns  . 

Flowers,  Wild       .... 

Fogo  Island,  Grievance  of  th.e 
Iidiabitants  of    . 

Fogs 

Food,  Pri(  e  of,  fl.xed  by  Procla- 
niaiion 

Forest  Lands  .... 

Fortune  I5ay  .... 

Franciscans,  Royal  License  to 
estal)lish  a  Convent  of        .         .  397 

French  Amhitiim  .         .         .         .32 

French,  Expulsion  of  the      .         .     49 

French  Fisheries,  The  .         .         .  230 

French  Fishing  Privileges     .         .  281 

French  Shore,  The         .         .    13G,  279 


PAUB 

222 
241 

20<". 
L'OG 

72 

l.->8 

G3 
341 
135 


Gamhier,     Admiral,      Efforts     to 
Ameliorate     the     Condition     of 
the  People  by     . 
Game     ..... 
Gander  Uiver 
Garden  Vegetables 
Geographical    Position    of     New 

foundland  .... 
Geological  Si-,  v'ey  — 

The   Earliest,  by  Mr.    J.    B 

Jukes  .... 
By  Mr.  Murray 
George  III.,  Act  of 
Gilbert,  Sir  Humphrey — 

Letters    Patent    from   Queen 
Elizabeth     .         .         .         . 
Annexation  of  the  Island  by  . 
lleturn    and  Loss    of  his  Ex- 
pedition       .... 
Glover,  S'r  .John  Ilawley 

(iold       

(iovernment,  Civil,  Cost  of  . 

Governor,  The  First     . 

(lowir.    Sir    Erasuuis,    Important 

Improvements  under 
Graviiig     Dock     at     St.     John's, 
Subsidy  for         .... 
(irazing  Country,  .V  Vast 
Great  Auk,  Tiie     .         .         .      2i, 


70 
111 

;i29 

207 
112 


150 

150 
GO 


13 
14 

ii; 

1(J3 

353 

59 

40 

71 

I'.'G 
115 
197 


428 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Great  Codroy  Kivcr,  The  Valley 
of  the ;308 

Guy,  Jolin,  Tlie  Estahlishmeiit  of 
a  Colony  Advocated  by      .         .21 

Gyi)siiin obit 

Ilukluyt  MSS.        .         .         ...     11 

Hamilton,  Sir  Charles  .         .         .82 
Ilaibor  Grace         ....   140 

Hardy,     Captain     Campbell,     on 
iSewfoundland    ....   21.'J 

Ilart's,  Arctic  and  American          .  208 
Ilarviy,   Sir  John,  Efforts  of,    to 
l)roniote  the    Settlement  of 
the  Country        .         .         .88 
On  tlie  Prospects  of  Emigra- 
tion      334 

Horrinir,  The  — 

As  Bait  for  Cod      .         .         .272 

Spawning-time        .         .         .  272 

Herring  Fishery,  Tlie    .         .         .  272 

Stuiistics         .         .         .         .274 

lis  lnii)ortance        .         .         .  27.") 

Hill,  Sir  Stephen  John  .         .         .100 

HoUoway,  Admiral  — 

I'nss  Censorship  under  .         .     74 
lie-annexation  of  Labrador     .     74 
Hospital  Tax,  A  Voluntary  .         .     75 
Housi-liuilding,  Difficulties  in  the 

w.iy  of m 

House  of  Commons,  Select  Com- 
mittee of  the  .  .  .  .82 
Howley,  Mr.,  on  the  Coal  Seams  .  loG 
llumlier  District,  The  .  .  .  318 
Hunting-Grounds,  Favorite  .  .  211 
Hunting  the  Caribou      .         .        .  215 


Imports 

Indian  Camp,  An  . 

Inni'its  . 

Irish  Immigration 


.  3(jr, 
.   140 

.  2'j(; 

50,  78 


Jameson  Lake  ....  145 
Jameson's  ^Mountains  .  .  .  148 
Judicature  — 

E^tiiblisliment  of  a   Supreme 
Court  of      .         .  .       41,00 

Act  of   1824    .         .         .        01,84 
Ju'.us,  J.  IJ.,  Exploration  by        .  150 


Keats,    Sir   Richard,    Commercial 

Progress  under  ....     70 

Kirke,  Sir  David    .         .         .         .27 

Grant  from  Charles  I.     .         .     l'7 

Labrador  .  .  .  55,  71,  L'.s.'j 
Its  Discovery  b}-  Cahot  .  .  'Jss 
A  Voyage  from  St.  John's  .  i",i(j 
The  Isles  of  Demons  .  .  L';>1 
Chateau  Hay  ....  l",J3 
Its  Fisheries  ....  2',»C 
Population  ....  'I'M 
Vegetable  and  Animal  Life     .  21I.S 

liivers 2;i'J 

Exports .        .  .        .  ;lo0 

Labrailor  Fisheries,  Value  of  t4ie. 
to  Newfoundland        .         .         .  L'S." 

Labradorite 21i;t 

Laynpiis  alius       ....   i!()',) 

Land  Grants,  The  First  .         .     7ij 

Land  Licenses       ....  ;!.")7 

Language,    Vocabulary   of    ]Mary 
.March's 184 

Law    Society    of   Newfoundland, 
The 

Lead 

Leake's,      Captain,       Expei 
against  the  French     . 

Legislature,  Payments  to  the 

Lc  Marchant,  Sir  Gaspard    . 

Leoiil)vi'g  Dog,  The 

Light  Dues    .... 

Light-houses. 

Lobsters         .... 

Logan,     Sir     William,      on 
:Mineral  Wealth  of  the  Islan 

Long  Harbor,  I)isturl)ances  at 

Loiiishurg,  Expedition  against 

;\Iackerel        .... 

Magnetic  Iron  Ore 

Mails,  The     .... 

Marl)le  lieds 

March,  Mary 

Hurial-placc  of 

M((ire;;or,    ;\Ir.,    on    Newfound- 
land as  a  Nursery  for  Seamen,  2-'2 

Milbanki',      (iovt'rnor,     an<l      tiie 
lioman  Catliolics        .         .         .     53 


0(."5 

355 

lion 

42 

377 

'.•2 

1115 

4()t 

403 

1!»'J 

tlie 

ul     . 

152 

i;'.5 

48 

275 

;'i.")5 

381, 

402 

lliO, 

138 

175 

17t) 

IXDEX. 


429 


70 


.    '.".tl 

.  1"J3 

.  'J'.iC 

.  '2'M 

.  2'.I.S 

.  L':tO 

.  :'.i)0 

.    !'.>!.' 
.    l.'U',) 

.  7<> 

.  o37 

y 

".  181 

1, 
.  ;i78 


ion 


42 
:177 

!»2 
11)5 
40t 
4  on 
llt'J 


48 


■J,.> 

'.\')'> 

^1, 

402 

;',(;, 

ViS 

, 

17.". 

, 

17'J 

ul- 

i'l>, 

'>')2 

hv 

PAGE 

Minerals,       Right       of      Search 

for .'ioS 

Minoviil  Wealth     .     104,  155,  157,  317 
Mincralounoal     Characteristics    oT 

tlie  Interior  ....  151! 
Mininj^  Prospects  .  .  .  152,  'M2 
^Missionary  Labors  .  .  .  ;5'.I5 
Moliusea,  Ilerr  T.  A.  Vorkruzen's 

Collection  of,  in  the  Geological 

Museum  of  St.  John's  .  .204 
Montaigne,     Kear-Ailniiral,    Cajit- 

tire      of    tlie     islands     of     St. 

Pierre  and  Miquelon  by  .  .  58 
Moose-enlling  ....  214 
Mountain  Ranges  .  .  .  .110 
Mnlloek.    Ut.    Piev.    Dr.,    on   the 

Climate IOC 

Murray,  Alexander  — 

(teograiiiiical        Survey        of 

Newfoundhind  by        .         .   151 
On   tiie    Mining    Regions    of 
Newfoundland     .   351,  353,  355 


Native  Indian,  Capture  of  a  . 

Native  Races,  The 

Karly  Historical  Notices 
Government  Protection  of 

Newfoundland  Dog,  The 

Newfoundlanders,     The,    of 
Present  Day 

Nert'siiaper,  The  First  . 

Newspapers  . 

Notri'  Dame,  Ray  of 

Nova  Scotia,  Pishop  of 


70, 


the 
187, 


138, 


175 
lO!) 
171 
175 
194 

188 

73 

400 

324 

03 


O'Donnell,  Bishop,  Pension  to      .  70 

Ornithology 209 

Osborne,  Caj.tain  Henry  — 

Apjiointinent  as  Governor      .  40 

Administrative  Ability    .         .  45 

Oyer     and     Terminer,     Appoint- 
ment of  Commissioners  of          .  47 

Palliser,  Sir  Hugh         .         .         .     54 
Order  of  ....     55 

Palliser'.s  Act  ....     55 

Palmerston,  Lord,  on  the  French 

Privileges 280 

Paris,  Treaty  of    .         .  49,  54,  79 


Pasqualio,     Lorenzo,    Letter    of, 

concerning  Cabot 
Physical  Features 
Pickmore,  Admiral 
Pill  IIS  strolms        .... 
Placentia  — 

Hesieged  ,  .  .  . 

Ray  of 

Planters         

I'lanters  of  Newfoundland,  Con\- 
jiany  of      ....         . 
Police  Force,  Tlie 
Political    and    Religious    Dissen- 
sions .... 
Population  — 

In      the     Seventeenth 
tury     . 

Limitation  of  Resident 

Depopulation  proposed 

In  17(;3   . 

Social  Condition 

In  1785  . 

Distress  of 

In  ISO!   . 

In  181i;  . 

Statistics  of    . 

Distribution  of       .         .         . 
Postal  Arraiigeiui'nts,  The  First   . 
Postal  De])artnient,  The 
Presbyterian  Ciiurches . 
Prescott,  Cajitain  .... 
Prima  Vista  {sec  Ronavista). 
Prince    Regent,     Memorial    from 
the    Merchants    of    St.    Jolin's 

to  tiie 

Ptarmigan     

Public  Debt 


PAliE 

a 

133 

81 

341 

33 
135 
190 

220 
403 


80,  90 

Cen- 

.     28 

.     31 

.     35 

.     50 

.     50 

.     03 

57,  83 

.     72 

.     78 

223,  3(;5 

.  304 

73 

402 

401 

88 


209 
307 


Quebec  Group,  The 


153,  15G 


Race,  Cape 1.03 

Railwaj'  Construction    .         .         .  381 
Railw.iyHnterprise  Projected,   108,  109 

(iovernnii'Mt  Sui)sidy  to  .         .    105 
Railway  Loan,  A  .         .         ,         .   105 

Rainfall 101 

Raleigh,  Sir  Walter      ...     10 

Letters   Patent    from    Queen 
Elizabeth    .         .         .         .19 


430 


INDEX. 


PACE 

Kociprocity  Treaty,  The        .         .  283 
Eeeves,  Clucf  Justice  — 

On     the    Condition    of    the 
Country  under    the    Fish- 
inp-Admirals       .         .         .38 
On  the  Civil  Government  of 

the  Ishind   .         .         .         .47 
Appointment  of      .         .         .CO 

Reindeer 210 

Description  of,  by  Captain 
Kennedy  .  .  .  .211 
TJelic,  A  Solitary  .  .  .  .  1C8 
Kelifjioiis  Freedom  .  .  .09 
IJelitjious  Intolerance  .  .  53,  C(> 
Kelif,M()us  Statistics  .  .391,  394 
Kepresentative  Government .  85,  279 
Kesident  Governor,  The  First  .  81 
l{es])()nsible  Government  .     93 

Kcvenue        .         .      97,  100,  107,  3(;G 
Cluirpes  on,  for  1882       .         .  SflS 

Rivers 118 

Roads,  The  First  .         .         .     85,  380 

Rock  Systems        ....  153 

Laurentian      ....  153 

Iluronian        ....  154 

Silurian 155 

Carboniferous         .         .         .  15G 

Roman  Catholics,  Severity  towards,   52 

Cathedrals  and  Churches        .  398 

.     74 
Regiment, 

.     09 

.      11,  219 

.     34 


Royal  Gazette,  The 
Royal    Newfoundland 

Mutiny  in  the 
Rut,  Jolin,  Letter  of 
Ryswick,  Treaty  of 


St.  George's  Bay  .        .        .    142,  340 
A  Settler's  Experience  of       .  320 

St.  John's  — 

Besieged         .         .         .        33,  48 
Population  of  .         .      72,  132 

Improvements  under  Sir  Eras- 
mus Gower .         .         .         .72 
Destruction  by  Fire  80,81,91 

Visit  of    II.R.II.  the    Prince 

ofW.les  ....  94 
Tlu'  Harbor  .  .  .  124,  l.^'} 
Tlie  City  .  .  .  .125 
Dock  Construction .  .  .120 
Source  of  Water  Supply        ,  127 


PAGE 

St.  John's  —  (Continued.) 

The  Cathedrals  .  .  128,  129 
Government  House  .  .  130 
The  Athena}um       .         .         .131 

Banks 131 

Geographical  Position    .        .  133 

St.  Mary's  Bay      .         .         .         .133 

St.  Shotts l;',3 

Salmon,  Tiie  — 

The  Exports  ....  200 
Its  Growth      .         .         .         .208 

Salmon  Fisheries  ....  200 

Salmon  Fishery,  The  — 

Reckless  Conduct  of  .  .  207 
Future  of        ...         .  209 

Salmonier 118 

SMvings  Bank,  The         .         .         .  404 

Scenery  of  Grand  Lake         .   325,  320 

Seal,  The  — 

"White-coats"      .         .    251, 
Varieties  of  the  Seal 
Migratory  Habits    . 
Tabular    Statement     of     tlie 
K  umber  taken 

Seal  Fishery,  Tiie  — 
Modes  of  Capture   . 
Growth   of  the   Fishery,  and 

Statistics      ... 
The  Huntinj;  Season 
Equipment      of      a     Sealini. 

Steamer 
Experiences  of  a  Voyage 
"Sculping"    . 
Seal  Oil  and  Refuse 
Prospects  of  the  Fishery 

Sea  Trout      .... 

Sears,     Rt.     Rev.     Monscigneur 
on  the  Codroy  Valleys 

Serpentine  Rocks,  Area  of  the 

Shanandithet. 

Shield,  The,  of  Society  . 

Shipping        .... 

Sliooting  Season,  The   . 

Silver  Thaw,  The . 

Slate      

Slime,  A  Living     . 

Society  for  the  Propagation  of 
the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts, 
The 095,  399 


21  ;i 

201 
2(i3 

205 

247 

248 
250 


252 
257 
259 
204 
270 

310 
350 
170 
1>S9 
301 
209 
103 
35(i 


INDEX. 


431 


PAGE 

PAOE 

Star  Chamber,  The  Policy  of  the,  30,84 

Versailles,     Treaty     of,     French 

Steam  Communication  .         .         .  1381 

Privileges  under  the  . 

G2 

Stewart,   Professor,  on   tlie   Min- 

Verulam {see  Ferryland). 

eral  Deposits      ....  352 

Vespucci,  Amerigo 

1 

Stone  Implements  ....   183 

Vicar  Apostolic,  The  First    .      59, 

398 

Strang,  Kichard     .         .         .         .20 

Sport 20!) 

Waldegrave,     Admiral,     Humane 

Squatters 43 

l{ule  of 

05 

Supreme  Court,  The      .         .         .  377 

Wallace,      Admiral,       Defensive 

"  Swile  lluntin'".         .         .         .  25:> 

Measures  of        .... 

04 

Washington,  Treaty  of . 

284 

Tax  on  Homan  Catholics        .         .     52 

Wesleyan   Methodism,  The  Prog- 

Taxation  307 

ress  of        ....          . 

399 

Taxes  on  Spirits    .         .         .         .     7G 

Western  Newfoundland,    Climate 

Telegriiphie  Communication    with 

of 

321 

the  01(1  U^orld    ....     94 

Whitbourne,  Captain  Kichard 

22 

Temperature IGO 

"A  Discourse  and  Discovery 

Thomson,  Sir  Peter,  MSS.     .         .       3 

of  Newfoundland  " 

23 

Tilt  Cove  Mine      ....  311) 

On  the  Produce  of  the  Island, 

104 

Timber           .         .         .    320,  328,  332 

Whiteway,  Sir  W.  V.  — 

Timber  Lands,  xVrea  of  the    .         .  31() 

Motion  by,  in  the  Legislature, 

Trade  Statistics       .         .    8(1,  3G1,  SGO 

for  Construction  of  a  Hail- 

way      

104 

Union  with  Canada,  Proposed        .  100 

Virtual      Settlement    of    the 

United    States,    Treaties    between 

"  French  Shore  Question  " 

Great  Hritain  and  the,  in  llegard 

by        ...         .    107, 

279 

to  the  Fisheries  .         .         .         .282 

Wigwam,  A  Bcth.uk 

177 

United  States,  Influence  of   War 

An  Indian       .... 

14i; 

of    Independence  of    the,   uj)on 

William  III.,  Statute  of 

30 

the  Interests  of  Newfoundland  .     57 

(.)rder  in  Council  of 

40 

Utrecht,  Treaty  of        .         .         .42 

William  Henry, Prince  (afterwards 

King  William  IV.),  Visit  of      . 

59 

Vajior  Bath,  A  Primitive       .         .  177 

Women,  Fxclusion  of,  from  New- 

Vegetable Productions  .         .    207,  320 

foundland  

35 

Venerie 21G 

Working-Classes,  The  . 

191 

